


Tying Knots

by nauticalneptune



Category: King of the Hill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-29 04:43:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3882733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nauticalneptune/pseuds/nauticalneptune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nancy tries to put the flame back in her and Dale's relationship. Only, a certain lingering addiction to John Redcorn gets her into trouble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_A/N: I wrote this YEARS ago. Just reposting it here._

 

The four men were standing outside Hank’s house in front of the fence, as they did every afternoon after work.  
“Yep,” Hank said.  
“Yep,” Bill added.  
“Yep,” Dale commented.  
“Mm-hmm,” Boomhauer said, standing out as usual.  
Hank decided to start the conversation with what happened at his work. “Well, guys, today at Strickland Propane, we…” but he was shortly interrupted by Dale, angering Hank a bit.  
“What if I somehow made cigarettes taste like oreos?” he wondered thoughtfully.  
Everyone was silent for a moment and then his friends burst out laughing.  
“What? I’m serious, guys!”  
“How could you even think of an idea so dumb?” Hank asked.  
“I used my brains.”  
“What brains, man?” Boomhauer commented.  
“Hey,” Bill said. “I think it’s a good idea. If he could make this happen, I might take up smoking.”  
“See, Hank?” Dale said. “It would get non-smokers to start smoking!”  
“That’s not a good thing, Dale.”  
“Yes it is! More ka-ching for me!”  
“Well, I can assure you, I would never ever smoke, no matter what the cigarette tasted like. Smoking is bad.”  
“So is drinking, but I see you’ve got a beer in your hand right now, so there,” he huffed with a cross of his arms.  
“That’s different. Smoking can kill.”  
“Whatever, Hank. You go your way, I’ll go mine. You make the small bucks, I’ll make the big bucks. You sell the gas, and I’ll kick some ass!”  
Hank sighed, knowing that there was nothing he could say to get Dale to change his mind. Once he got an idea, no matter how stupid, he was going to follow through with it. And Hank would be there for him when his plan failed, as usual. 

 

When Hank walked in his house after their little chat, he said, “Guess what crazy scheme Dale’s thought of now?”  
“What?” Peggy asked, as she set the table.  
“He thinks he’s going to try to make cigarettes taste like oreo cookies.”  
“Uh…that’s really strange.”  
“I’ll say…Hey Bobby,” he said to his son as he walked in the kitchen.  
“Yeah, Dad?”  
“You would never smoke a cigarette would you, even if it tasted like oreos?”  
“OREOS?” his eyes got wide. “A cigarette that tastes like oreos? Is there such a thing? I’ve got to tell the guys…”  
Hank did a double take. “What? God dang it, Bobby. What are you talking about?”  
“Ah, I was just kidding, Dad…”  
But Hank didn’t look so sure of his son. “Well, just promise me you would never smoke.”  
“Of course I wouldn’t, Dad…”  
***

That night, Dale was in the basement, working very hard on his new plan. Well, trying to anyway. He had a pack of oreos and a pack of cigarettes down with him, setting on the desk.  
Nancy just finished making dinner and realized that once again, her husband was nowhere in sight. He had come home that evening, so he wasn’t at work. He must be in the basement again. She walked down the steps and found her husband leaning over a pack of oreo cookies.  
“Sug, what are you doing?”  
“Getting on my way to becoming rich and famous.”  
“Not again,” she sighed. “Well, dinner’s ready when you are.”  
“Well I’m not hungry. I’ve been eating these oreos.”  
Nancy gave him a strange look, but shrugged and started to walk back upstairs, a little sadly. Her and Dale never really so much as crossed paths anymore. It’d been like that for quite some time now. And her love for John Redcorn that was still lingering inside her forbiddingly didn’t help much either.  
“Wait Nancy,” Dale said.  
Her heart pumped fast for a moment. “Yes, sug?” she turned around, a little hopefully.  
“Can you bring me another pack of oreos?”  
Her heart sank and her face fell. “Alright.”  
She came back down quickly empty handed, though. “I’m sorry, sug. There’s no more oreos. Why don’t you just come upstairs and forget about all this for right now?”  
“Never. I’m going to the grocery store to get some more.”  
Nancy sighed and looked down. “Well, whatever you want.” She went back upstairs and he went to the store. As she sat at the dinner table, she couldn’t seem to eat much dinner. She just sat picking at her food and finally just threw her fork down. She couldn’t take it anymore. She always felt like Dale and her should be something more than they were, probably so she could get over John Redcorn. But the fact he was either at work, with the guys, or in the basement all the time, didn’t help any at all. She was forced to let her thoughts drift to John Redcorn. His tan, sexy body…the way he spoke, the way he moved, the way he touched her…  
Nancy shook her head, as if to clear it. She was married to Dale now. She had to stop thinking about John. She loved Dale, or she wouldn’t have married him, right? Then why did thoughts of John Redcorn keep creeping upon her? Was it because she and Dale didn’t spend enough time together? Because she was a woman and needed to be loved, and there was never much love coming from Dale. But she knew in the back of her mind that John’s love would always be waiting for her. It was so tempting.  
Nancy glanced out the window to see Boomhauer over at the Hills with his shirt off. She couldn’t help but stare with almost a longing lust. She shook her head again. She seriously needed to do something about her and Dale’s relationship. She needed someone to love her before she went over the edge. She stood up, walked over to her window, and closed the blinds. She put dinner up and then she found some candles and took them up to her and Dale’s bedroom. She placed them around the room and lit them, and then flicked the lights out. Nancy then went to the basement, shut the door, and locked it. He wasn’t going back in there tonight.  
She then sat on the bed and waited.  
Very shortly, Dale came back home and went straight to the basement with his pack of oreos. But when he tried to wiggle the door handle, it wouldn’t budge. “What the hell?” he wondered aloud. He kept jiggling and pulling like a moron, trying to get the door open. “NANCY!” he yelled. “Why’s the basement door locked?!” When Nancy didn’t provide him with an answer, however, he went to go find her. “Nancy!” he called. “Where are you?”  
“In the bedroom, sug!” she called back.  
Dale then proceeded to the bedroom to find Nancy in a nice short silky nightgown, lying on the bed.  
“Nancy?” he said.  
“Yes, sug?”  
“Why’s the basement locked? I need in there.”  
Nancy rolled her eyes. “What do you want more? To get into the basement…or to get into me?” she raised her eyebrows up and down with a seductive smile on her face.  
“Um…the basement.”  
Nancy’s face fell. “Oh, I see…” she looked away, blinking back tears. She had really thought this through, too…She had it all planned out and of course he would ruin it…  
“Something’s wrong,” Dale noted aloud. When Nancy didn’t say anything, he said, “Nancy, what’s going on? What’s all the candles for?”  
“It’s nothing…” she said, still not looking at Dale.  
“Nancy. I know something’s up. Please just tell me what it is. You can tell me…” he gently turned her to face him to see that her face was red, splotchy, and tear stained. “You’re crying…Please don’t cry,” he touched her arm briefly, sending chills up her spine. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”  
She wanted to tell him everything inside her head, but instead it came out like this. “Sug, we really haven’t…I mean, we need to…Our relationship is…” Then she came to get herself to spurt out, “I want to have a baby, sug.” Maybe having a baby with Dale would make it all better. Make them closer.  
“A baby, Nancy?”  
“Yes, sug. A baby. Joseph’s going to be grown before we know it. I want to have a little one.”  
“Well, uh…We have Joseph. Isn’t that enough?”  
“It’s not the same, sug…”  
“Yes it is. What are you talking about?”  
“You don’t understand…”  
“No, I don’t understand. I don’t understand you at all. I want to understand you, though, sweetheart.”  
Nancy looked up surprisingly at Dale. “You called me sweetheart.”  
“Well, I love you.”  
“You do?”  
“Well, of course I do, Nancy. And I want to understand you better.”  
“I want to understand you too, Dale.” Her saying Dale’s name even surprised her a bit.

***

The next afternoon, Bobby came home from hanging with his friends.  
“Hi, Bobby,” Peggy said as he walked in the door. “I just made cookies. Would you like one?” she asked, gesturing toward the cookie jar on the counter full of fresh chocolate chip cookies.  
“Sure, Mom. Thanks.” He walked over and helped himself to a cookie.  
Peggy noticed a foul, but familiar smell. She bent over closer to Bobby and sniffed. “Bobby Hill, you smell like smoke. How dare you! You just got through telling your father that you would never smoke.”  
“But I wasn’t smoking…”  
“Then why do you smell like smoke then, huh?”  
“Joseph and the guys were.”  
“And you’re telling me that you didn’t. Bobby, you’re hanging out with the wrong kind of friends. Whatever happened to Connie?”  
“I dumped her because she wasn’t cool.”  
“Wasn’t cool? She was the coolest girl I’ve seen you with yet!”  
“She’s the only girl you’ve seen me with yet,” Bobby muttered.  
“That’s not the point, Bobby. She was a very nice, studious girl and was perfect for you. How dare you dump her because she wasn’t cool enough for you. What is cool to you kids now days? A cigarette hanging out of their mouth? That is just not attractive, Bobby.”  
“I know she was nice and all, Mom, but…”  
“But what?”  
“I don’t know...” he sighed.  
“Go to your room, Bobby. When your father comes home, I’m sure he’s going to want to talk to you.”  
“Okay…” he slumped off to his room.  
“And give me that cookie,” she demanded.  
Bobby turned around just long enough for Peggy to snatch what was left of his cookie out of his hand.

Later that evening, there was a knock at Bobby’s bedroom door.  
“Come in,” Bobby called, knowing it was most likely his father.  
Hank let himself in and sat on the bed beside Bobby. “Bobby, your mother tells me that you came home smelling like smoke today.”  
“Yeah, because Joseph and the guys were smoking. I wasn’t smoking, I swear!” he exclaimed defensively.  
“I believe you, Bobby, because I trust you. But I think you’re hanging out with the wrong crowd.”  
“No I’m not. They just smoke. Other than that, they’re great friends!”  
“Great friends pressuring you to be cool?”  
“What do you mean, Dad?”  
“I mean, that those friends you’re hanging out with are not as cool as they think they are. Smoking does not make you cool. And hanging out with a crowd like that doesn’t make you cool either. And it doesn’t give you the right to label your girlfriend as uncool and dump her because of it.”  
“I know, Dad, but…”  
“But nothing. You have invited Connie over for dinner tonight.”  
“I have?” Bobby asked, confused.  
“Yes, you have.” The doorbell rang at that time. “There she is now. Go answer the door, Bobby.”  
Bobby sighed and went downstairs slowly.

He answered the door to see Connie standing there. “Hi, Connie.”  
“Hi Bobby,” she smiled shyly.  
“Come on in.” He stepped back to let his ex girlfriend in. This is so awkward, he thought to himself.  
“It was so nice of you to invite me to dinner, Bobby,” she said as they walked to the kitchen. “It was such a surprise.”  
“Yeah. It was a surprise,” Bobby muttered.

All through dinner, it was pretty silent until Hank broke the silence with, “So…what have you been up to, Connie?”  
“Studying,” she shrugged.  
“But it’s summer!” Bobby protested.  
“I’m taking summer school.”  
“Why? You’re smart!”  
“I’m taking advanced courses to get some of my college out of the way.”  
“Wow!” Peggy exclaimed. “You sure are on top of things, Connie.”  
“Thank you, Mrs. Hill,” she smiled.  
After they’d all got finished eating, Peggy said, “Bobby, why don’t you take Connie up to your room? I imagine you both have some catching up to do.”  
Bobby looked at his mother with a sarcastic thanks look. “Okay…” he sighed. “Come on, Connie.” She followed him up to his room. As soon as they walked inside, though, they heard Peggy yell, “Do not shut your bedroom door, Bobby!”  
“Okay, Mom!” he called back down, irritated. The two kids then sat down on Bobby’s bed. “So…” Bobby said slowly. “This is officially awkward…”  
Connie didn’t seem to think so. She burst out, “Why did you break up with me?”  
This took Bobby aback. “Um…Well, you see, Connie…you just aren’t cool.”  
“I’m not cool?! Well, if your definition of cool is smoking cigarettes and hanging out with obnoxious hooligans, then I guess I’m not cool!”  
“Well…” Bobby said slowly, looking away.  
“Bobby Hill! You look at me right now!” Bobby turned to face her with an embarrassed look on his face. “You know very well that the only reason you’re saying these things are because of your friends. And if your friends are telling you such nonsense, then I would say they aren’t your friends!”  
“Oh, Connie. Of course they are. And I just don’t think that you’re the right girl for me. I’m cool, you’re not. Enough said.”  
“Oooh!” she started boiling with anger. “Bobby Hill! You are the most lackadaisical person I’ve ever met!” She hopped off the bed angrily and started to leave the room.  
“What does that mean?” Bobby scratched his head.  
Connie whipped around and spat, “It means you don’t care! Because obviously you don’t…” she said sadly, turned, and left.  
“Oh, dear…” Bobby sighed.

***

Nancy and Dale had talked for hours the previous night, and were talking again that night as well. They’d started to understand each other a bit.  
“Wow…” Dale said. “Our relationship really does suck.”  
“Oh, it’s okay, sug. We can fix it.”  
Dale sighed and with a bit of hesitation, put his arm around her. She smiled at him and snuggled closer.  
After a moment, Nancy said quietly, “Now what about that baby?”  
“Nancy…” Dale sighed. “We don’t have the time or the money…”  
“Time? We have all the time in the world, sug. And money…well, we could make do with what we’ve got. We can make it work.”  
“Nancy, I like sex as much as the next guy, but I don’t think I’m ready for a baby right now.”  
“Come on, Dale,” she put on a puppy dog face. “You know you want me…” she smiled that seductive smile again.  
“Well…” he pondered aloud. She did look rather nice and he liked it when she said his actual name instead of the usual sug. “Are you still on the pill?”  
“Uh…of course,” she lied through her teeth, looking away. She’d gotten off the pill years ago.  
“Well okay, then my darling, get ready for the ride of your life!”  
“Oh, I love it when you use terms of endearment, Dale!”  
“And I love it when you say my name, Nancy!”

***

The next morning, Nancy went over to the Hills house to visit Peggy. Peggy noticed Nancy was in a very good mood and said, “Nancy, what are you so happy about?”  
“Oh, you’ll never believe it, Peggy!”  
“Try me,” she set the rag she was drying a dish with down on the counter, along with the dish.  
“Dale made love to me last night!” she squealed like a little school girl.  
Peggy’s jaw dropped and then she muttered, “You lucky bastard.”  
“Aren’t you happy for me, Peggy? Dale and I have been growing more and more apart for years…”  
“When were you ever close?” she kind of chuckled and then she saw the look on Nancy’s face and said, “Of course I’m happy for you, Nancy. I’m sure it’s very exciting for you.”  
“And we actually talked, Peggy. I mean actually talked. We haven’t done that in…well, I don’t think we ever have done that.”  
“I’m happy for you, Nancy. This is really good for your relationship with Dale.”  
“I know! Maybe it won’t fall apart after all!”  
“Until John Redcorn shows up, that is.”  
“Why would he show up?”  
“Why don’t you ask him?” Peggy pointed at the window. Nancy’s eyes followed to where she was pointing and saw John Redcorn standing on the Gribble’s front step.  
“Oh dear,” Nancy sighed.  
“Do you want me to go punch him for you? Because I will. I’ve punched Randy Travis before, so I would have no problem punching John Redcorn.”  
“No, that won’t be necessary, Peggy…” Nancy started to walk out the Hills’ door to head over to her house.  
“I hope you do the right thing, Nancy,” Peggy told her just before Nancy was out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Peggy watched out the window as Nancy walked over to her house next door. She had a feeling she knew what was going to happen next, because it always happened when John Redcorn came over.   
Nancy walked up to her doorstep and said something to John Redcorn, and sure enough, next thing Peggy knew, they were both walking inside the Gribble’s house. Peggy sighed and shook her head. She didn’t know who to feel sorrier for: Nancy or Dale? Nancy was obviously having a problem getting over John and Dale was oblivious to it all. Nancy had feelings she just couldn’t resist and Dale was obviously a moron for not realizing it. As many times as John had been in their house…Peggy thought bitterly and then sighed and closed the blinds. 

A little while later, Bobby came down the stairs and was heading for the door.  
“Where do you think you’re going?” Peggy asked.  
“Me and the guys were going to go bowling or something.”  
“Oh, no you’re not.”  
“What?” Bobby said, astonished.  
“You’re not going anywhere until you apologize to Connie.”  
“Why?”  
“That poor girl left our house last night crying, Bobby.”  
“She did?” Bobby started to feel a little bad.  
“Yes, she did. She’s a nice girl and you’re treating her like crap.”  
Bobby turned and started to slump back to his room.  
“Well what are you doing now?” Peggy asked.  
“Going to my room,” Bobby shrugged. “You said I can’t go out…”  
“If you don’t apologize. Pick up the phone, call Connie and apologize. Ask her to go bowling with you and the guys…then you may go out.”  
Bobby gave his mother a bewildered look. “But Mom! My friends will make fun of me!”  
“How long are you going to worship those friends of yours? How long are you going to let them push you around? Why don’t you do what Bobby wants for a change, hmm?”  
This got Bobby to thinking. He looked down. He hadn’t ever really wanted to break up with Connie in the first place. It’s just that the guys labeled her as not cool and insisted on he breaking up with her or they wouldn’t be his friend anymore. Were these guys really his friends, then?   
Bobby straightened up and marched over to the telephone, making Peggy smile. He dialed Connie’s number and her mother answered.  
“Hello?”  
“Hi, this is Bobby Hill. Is Connie there?”  
“Are you calling to make her cry again?” she asked coldly.  
“No, ma’am. I’m actually calling to apologize.”  
“Well, in that case, I’ll see if she wants to talk to you.” He could hear the woman calling her daughter’s name and in the distance, he could hear Connie say, “Do I have to talk to him?” This made Bobby’s heart sink. Then a couple of moments later, the woman came back and said, “She’s coming, but reluctantly.”  
Then another moment passed and Connie answered. “Hello?” she said a little irritably.  
“Hi, Connie.”  
“What do you want, Bobby? I was studying for a big test.”  
“Oh…Well, this will only take a minute. Connie, I just wanted to apologize for last night. That was very rude of me to say those things to you.”  
“Did your mother make you call and apologize?”  
“Well, sort of, but…”  
“I see how it is,” she said coldly.  
“No, wait Connie! I wanted to apologize, though. I’ve been thinking, and Mom and Dad were right. You were right. Everyone has been telling me that I’ve been worshiping my friends and letting them push me around. They were the reason I broke up with you. I didn’t ever want to break up with you. I was just trying to be cool and fit in and that was wrong.” Connie was silent and Bobby pressed on. “Well, if you weren’t busy studying, I’d ask you to come bowling with us, but…”  
“My test isn’t until next week. I can risk losing one night of studying,” her voice sounded brighter and that made Bobby smile. Maybe there was hope.  
“Great. Meet me over at my house at um…now.”  
“Okay. I’ll be there…Oh, and Bobby?”  
“Yes?”  
“Your apology is most definitely accepted.”  
“Thanks, Connie.”

When all the guys met in Bobby’s backyard, Connie showed up shortly afterward, confusing them.  
“Why is she here?” Joseph whispered to Bobby.  
“She’s coming with us,” Bobby said, trying to be forward, but it came out a little nervously.  
“Why, Bobby?” he asked through clenched teeth.  
“Because I invited her, that’s why!”  
“Look, Bobby, do you want to be our friend?”  
“Y-y-yes…” he trembled.  
“Then tell her to leave now.”  
“Um…” he looked from Joseph to Connie nervously, sweat pouring down his face. Then he turned to Connie and said, “You have to leave.” Connie gasped and his friends cheered. Then he added, “And I’m coming with you.”  
“What?!” Joseph exclaimed.  
“You heard me. Come on, Connie,” he tried to link arms with her to be more dramatic as they left, but she wouldn’t let him. Not just yet.   
Peggy was watching out the window the whole time and cheered out loud in the empty house. “Boo yah!” she yelled, throwing her fist in the air. Then as she was watching them walk away, she was wondering where they were going exactly. She stuck her head out the door and yelled, “Hey, you kids! Where are you going?!”  
“The movies,” Bobby shrugged.  
Peggy thought to herself quickly, Child + another child + movie theater = NO. “Hey, you kids just come on in the house! There’s still some cookies in the cookie jar!”  
Bobby and Connie sighed, turned around, and went into the Hills’ house.  
“Excuse me, I have to use the restroom,” Connie announced and left the room.  
While she was gone, Bobby said, “Thanks a lot, Mom. I was just getting started making up with Connie…and now you bring us back in here to civilization.”  
“Well, as a mother, I just feel safer with my child and his girlfriend in the house.”  
“But Mom!” he protested.  
“Y’all can go to your room, you know…as long as you don’t shut the door.”  
“Can I pull it to at least?”  
Peggy sighed. “Fine…As long as you are aware that I could peek in at any point and given time.”  
“I know, Mom…”  
Connie walked back in at that time and Bobby said, “Let’s go up to my room.”  
***

As Nancy and John Redcorn were lying in her and Dale’s bed, covered in sheets, John said, “Are we doing what is right?”  
“Well of course not…”  
“But it is what you want, correct?”  
Nancy sighed. “I don’t know…I want it, yes…but I shouldn’t want it…”  
“There is no shame in showing your love for someone.”  
“Yes there is, sug…”  
“Do you love Dale, Nancy?”  
“Now don’t start this again, John…Please…”  
“I’m serious. Do you love Dale? Because it seems that you love me a great deal more. I think we would be a far better couple than you and Dale are…”  
Nancy was blinking back tears by this point.  
“Oh, don’t cry, Nancy…”  
“Then stop trying to break up me and my husband…” she said quietly.  
“You’re the one sleeping with another man. I am at no fault. I have no one to cheat on. But you on the other hand…”  
“I know, John! I’m a horrible person!” she blubbered. “It’s just so tempting! And so easy, ‘cause Dale is such a moron that he doesn’t even notice!”  
“He is pretty stupid…”  
“Hey! Only I can say that!” ¬¬¬  
“Sorry…”  
“It’s just that, yes, I’ll admit, I still have feelings for you…But I love Dale, or else I wouldn’t have married him…but he’s never at home and when he is, I don’t feel like he’s there at all…I need somebody to love me…so I turn to you…”  
After a silence, John Redcorn asked, “Should we make love again?”  
Nancy looked at him and wanted so badly to say yes, but instead said, “No,” shaking her head. “Sug, Dale will be home any minute for lunch.”  
“Dale doesn’t come home for lunch.”  
“…I know!!!” she blubbered. “But someday he might, and he may see us like this…”  
“Even if he did, he’s so stupid, he’d think anything but what’s really going on. Remember the time we went away for the weekend? He thought I was only along to protect you.”  
Nancy chuckled to herself. “Yes…He would probably see this as you helping me get to sleep or something…”  
Just then, they heard the front door open.  
“Oh my god, it’s Dale!” Nancy exclaimed in a panic. “He never comes home for lunch!” She quickly looked at John. “Get out! Go through the window!” John looked over at the window and then back at Nancy. “NOW!” she screamed. John jumped up and hurriedly put his clothes back on, opened the window, and jumped through. He then ran back home. Nancy let out a sigh of relief and then realized she had no clothes on. She jumped up and put some clothes on just fast enough for Dale to walk in and see her clothed.  
“Hi, Nancy,” Dale said a bit awkwardly.  
“Hey, sug. What are you doing home so early?”  
“I thought I’d come home for lunch for once.”  
Nancy’s lip quivered in spite of herself and a tear rolled down her cheek.  
“Or I could go back to work. Whatever you want…” Dale took the tears as tears of sadness.  
Nancy ran over and gave Dale a big hug, surprising both of them. He hugged her back. “What’s for lunch?”  
“Um…” Nancy obviously had not been even thinking about cooking lunch. “We could go out,” she suggested shyly.  
“Sounds good to me. A burger sounds wonderful.”  
“Uh…why don’t we go to a restaurant, sug? Like the one we went to on our first, and only date,” she smiled.  
“If that’s what you want, then let’s go.”  
Nancy was starting to like this side of Dale that never really shined through much before. He wanted to please her.  
As they were heading out the door, Nancy wedged her hand into Dale’s. As they were walking to the car, Nancy secretly hoped that Peggy would see the two of them. And Peggy did happen to be in the kitchen, and saw the two of them out the window. “Well, I’ll be!” she exclaimed to herself. “Dale’s home for lunch! And they’re holding hands! How sweet. I bet Nancy’s happy…” But then she remembered what Nancy and John Redcorn had just gotten finished doing and she shook her head. “Nancy’s got one screwed up life…but maybe it’s making a turn for the better…”

 

***

Connie and Bobby were sitting in his bedroom and had been talking for a little bit.  
“I’m really glad you finally sucked it up and stood up for yourself, Bobby. That was really brave of you.”  
“Aw, it was nothing, Connie…but I did it for you,” he smiled.  
“How sweet,” she smiled back.  
“Does this mean we’re back together?” Bobby asked shyly.  
“I think it does.”  
“SCORE!” he shouted, standing up, throwing his fist up in the air. He sat back down slowly and embarrassed. “Uh…I mean, I’m glad.”  
Connie laughed. Bobby took after his mother on that one.  
“I’m glad too, Bobby.”  
“But what about my friends?”  
“If they’re really your friends, they’ll get over it and accept your ways.”  
“I hope so.”  
“Well, if anything, we have each other, Bobby,” she smiled. He smiled back. Connie leaned closer to him and Bobby got the hint. He leaned in as well and they kissed. It was a little too long for Peggy (who was peeking through the door)’s taste, however, and she shouted, “Okay! That’s enough!”  
This scared the heck out of the two and they broke apart quickly.  
“That’s more like it,” Peggy said, satisfied, and then she walked back downstairs.  
Bobby rolled his eyes and Connie sighed. “Exactly why I wanted to go to the movies,” Bobby said.  
“Yeah,” Connie agreed.

 

***

That evening when Hank came home from work, Peggy said, “Guess what, Hank?”  
“What?”  
“Dale and Nancy went out for lunch earlier!” she said excitedly.  
“Good for them,” he said honestly. “Has Redcorn been around lately?”  
“Well, yes, but still.”   
Hank rolled his eyes. “That Nancy is a strange one. She is cheating on Dale and apparently doesn’t care in the slightest.”  
“You don’t understand Hank. You don’t know what’s going through her mind.”  
“Neither do you, Peggy. She’s just a two timer, that’s what she is and some day Dale’s going to get her.”  
“Oh, don’t be silly, Hank. Nancy and Dale’s relationship is taking a turn for the better, I just know it.”  
“If you say so.”  
“I do.”  
“Has Bobby made up with Connie yet?”  
“I’ll say he has. They’re back together now.”  
“That’s good. I’m glad he finally realized what he was doing.

At the dinner table, Hank said, “So Bobby. I heard you and Connie are back together.”  
“Yep.”  
“Is there anything you’d, uh, like to say to me?”  
“Oh…” he rolled his eyes and then said, “You were right and I was wrong.”  
“Thank you. I just love hearing that,” he chuckled.

After dinner, there was a knock at the door. Bobby answered it.  
“Hey Bobby.” It was Joseph. “Do you want to come watch the new Transformers movie with us tomorrow?”  
“You are inviting me to the movies with you? Wow!”  
“Well of course, Bobby. You’re our friend.”  
“You don’t care that I’m dating Connie?”  
“Nah! You can date whoever you please. It’s not going to stand in the way of our friendship.”  
“Did your dad make you say that?” Bobby asked curiously.  
“You think my dad would come up with something like that?”  
“You’ve got a point there.”  
“Okay, so will you come?”  
“Of course! But just one thing…Can I bring Connie along?”  
“Sure thing, Bobby,” he smiled.

***

That night, Dale was back in the basement again, trying to make cigarettes taste like oreos. But he kept eating more of them then he was experimenting.   
“Sug?” came Nancy’s voice from the top of the stairs.  
“Yeah, Nancy?”  
“You’ve already missed dinner again.”  
“Oh, I’m sorry, Nancy. I’ve been busy.”  
“I know, sug. It’s getting late, though. Why don’t you come on to bed?” She was already in her nightgown.   
“Oh, Nancy. Just a while longer. I think I might be coming on to something.”  
“Sug, you’re trying to make a cigarette taste like an oreo. Don’t you think that’s a bit silly?”  
“No idea is a silly idea, Nancy. Especially my ideas.”  
“If you say so…”  
“I do say so. I’ll be up in a little bit, I promise.”  
“Whatever,” she said and sadly turned around and went back upstairs, slamming the door behind her.  
Dale looked at the door she had just slammed and sighed. 

Nancy went to the bedroom, sat down on the foot of the bed and sighed. There was a knock at the window. She turned to see John Redcorn’s face. She gasped in fright, but went over and opened the window.  
“Is it, er, safe?” he asked her.  
Nancy sighed. “Dale’s going to be down there all night, I imagine, so I suppose it’s safe. Come on in.”  
He gladly jumped through the window and stepped close to her. “Did you miss me?” he asked.  
“You were only here this morning, John…”

 

Dale had come out of the basement and was taking a shower downstairs singing, “Nancy, Nancy give me your answer do. I’m so sorry, so I’m going to make love to you!” 

Dale had really felt closer to Nancy these last few days and he was happy for that. He would admit that their relationship wasn’t what it could be, but he was trying. He really loved her, he just wasn’t really sure where to start.

He walked in the bedroom after showering to find…John Redcorn in his bed with Nancy.   
“What the hell’s going on here?”   
“Sug…” Nancy started, looking from Dale to John nervously.  
“I give up my work down there in the basement, clean up, and come in here and what do I find?”  
“Sug, it’s not what you think,” Nancy said stupidly.  
“What do I find?” he repeated. “I find John Redcorn in my bed…with my wife…”


	3. Chapter 3

“Thanks for warming up my side of the bed, John Redcorn, but I’ll take it from here.”  
John looked at Nancy, who nodded and he got out of there. Once he’d left and Dale crawled into bed in his place, Nancy said stupidly, “I’m sorry, sug.”  
“Don’t be sorry,” Dale held his hand up. “You didn’t do anything.”  
“I didn’t? I mean, of course I didn’t!”  
“Yeah, John Redcorn was just protecting you as usual. I knew I heard a rat in here last night…But John looked like he was trying to do a little more than protect you this time…”  
“Uh…” Nancy looked around, trying to figure something cunning to say.  
“But you didn’t let him,” Dale smiled. “I’m glad for that. I love you, Nancy and I’m sorry if I’ve been spending too much time in the basement…I go to work and come home to more work…”  
“Yeah, you really need to let that oreo thing go. It’s such a silly idea.”  
“No it’s not!”  
“Admit it, sug. Some (well most) of your ideas are a little farfetched.”  
“Maybe sometimes…” he looked down. “Well I guess I’m not really getting anywhere with this one. I’m eating more oreos than I’m experimenting with.”  
“Yeah, you should stop that. You’re going to make yourself diabetic or something.”  
“Nonsense!”  
It got silent for a bit and then Dale looked at Nancy and said, “I want you to know that I love you very much. You’re my angel sent from heaven and I don’t tell you that enough.”  
Nancy was speechless for a moment and then she said, “Why Dale! That was sweet of you.”  
“I try,” he smiled and then slipped his arm around her.  
“Sug,” she said quietly. “You’ve really been acting differently lately. A lot sweeter.”  
“I want to please you, Nancy.”  
“You’re not uncomfortable doing all this, are you? Because I don’t want you to go out of your comfort zone to please me.”  
“No, I just realized a while ago that I haven’t been as good a husband as I should.”  
“I haven’t been as good a wife either.”   
“Yes you have. You cook me meals and clean my house and uh…whatever else you do and I have not been appreciative enough.”  
“It’s okay, sug. Trust me, I’m not as good a person as you think I am.” Nancy was suddenly feeling very guilty.  
“Of course you are, Nancy.”  
“If only you knew…” she muttered.  
Dale ignored this and asked, “Would you like it if I came home for lunch tomorrow?”  
“Always, sug.”  
“Okay, we can go out again if you’d like. And maybe after dinner tomorrow night we can go, er, bowling or something.”  
Nancy gave him a disgusted face. Bowling did not sound appealing to her.  
“Or we could go…uh…paintballing?”   
“Oh, sug, why don’t we go dancing?” her face lit up. Now that sounded much more fun to Nancy.  
“Dancing?” The idea didn’t sound that appealing to Dale.  
“Yeah! There’s a dance tomorrow night in town. Let’s go, sug! It’d be so much fun!”  
“If it’s what you want, Nancy.”  
“Oh, come on! You’d have fun! And I bet I could get Peggy and Hank to go too!”  
Dale saw how excited she was and smiled. He’d never seen her this excited before and it made him happy.  
“We’ll go,” Dale consented.  
“Oh! I’m so happy I could just kiss you!” she squealed.  
“Why don’t you? I’m your husband, aren’t I?”  
Nancy smiled one of those “little school girl smiles” like she had a secret and then planted a big one right on Dale’s lips.  
“Wow,” Dale said afterward. “Um…I have OCD. Could you do that again to make it an even two?”  
Nancy shrugged and kissed him again, this time, Dale kissed her back.

The next morning, Nancy called the Hills.  
“Hello?” Peggy answered.  
“Hi, Peggy. I was just wondering if you and Hank were going to the dance tonight.”  
“We weren’t planning on it, but it would be fun, though. I haven’t been dancing in years.”  
“Why don’t y’all go? Me and Dale are going.”  
“Oh, really? Wow, Dale’s on a role.”  
“Yeah, Dale’s certainly been a tiger these last few days,” she fluffed her hair.  
“I’m happy for you, Nancy. And Hank and I will be there tonight.”  
“Oh, good! I’ll see you then.”  
“Alright.”

Peggy hung up the phone and thought, “Wow, Dale’s been so good to Nancy lately. He ought to teach Hank a thing or two,” she chuckled. “But if ever finds out about John Redcorn now, it’ll really break his heart…”

***

“So this is it,” Dale said, looking around. “We’re at a dance.” He spotted the Hills and said, “Oh, look. There’s Hank. Hi Hank!” he waved.  
“Dale, Nancy!” Peggy waved. “Come on over,” she motioned.  
The Gribbles walked over to their friends.  
“I can’t believe you two actually came to the dance,” Hank chuckled and Peggy elbowed him. “Ow!” he exclaimed.  
“Yeah, well, Nancy really wanted to and I want her to be happy.”  
“Are you under some kind of spell, Dale?”   
“No, I’ve just discovered I’ve been treating my wife like crap…”  
“She hasn’t been treating you much better,” Hank muttered and Peggy elbowed him again and Nancy looked away.  
“Let’s dance, Hank!” Peggy said hastily.  
Dale looked at Nancy. “Would you like to dance?”  
“Yes, sug. I would.” She smiled at him.

They danced song after song and then Dale excused himself to the restroom. Then out of nowhere, John Redcorn swooped in front of her. “May I take this dance?” Her weakness for John made her forget about Dale momentarily and she accepted. They were still dancing when Dale came back. And a little too close for his taste.  
“Excuse me,” Dale tapped on John’s shoulder. “I’ll take it from here.”  
“But we’re in the middle of this song.”  
“And you’re too close to my wife!”  
“Not as close as I was to her last night.”  
“John!” Nancy hissed.  
“What? He’s a moron, remember?”  
“Moron?!” Dale exclaimed. “I’m no moron! I can see just what’s going on here. You’re trying to get into my wife’s pants!”  
“Pssh. I’ve been in your wife’s pants.”  
“What?”  
“You heard me.”  
“Alright, do you want to fight, John Redcorn?”  
“If you insist,” he shrugged. John was a lot bigger than Dale, who was pretty scrawny. He raised his fist in the air and smacked Dale hard, knocking him to the ground.  
Nancy gasped. “Stop it!”  
But John did no such thing. Dale got back up and attempted to go at him, but John grabbed his arm and twisted it till it snapped.  
Nancy gasped again as John punched Dale once more, making him and his broken arm fall.  
“Dale!” Hank and Peggy ran over.  
“Oh…” he groaned from the ground. “I think my arm is broken…”  
Nancy looked at John, her eyes filling with tears. “Damn it, John Redcorn!” she stormed off, but turned only to say, “Who’s the moron?”  
“You’re the one cheating on your husband,” he said simply.  
Nancy huffed and walked out crying. Everyone looked up at John Redcorn with hostility.   
“I can take him to my house and heal him,” he offered.  
“NO, THANKS,” Hank said firmly and angrily. Hank and Peggy took Dale to the hospital.

After Nancy sat in their car crying and feeling like crap, she drove home. No matter how much she knew she needed to go check on Dale, she just couldn’t face him yet. Not after what just happened. She was so angry at John Redcorn right now. And she was also pretty angry with herself as well. She was literally screaming at the air driving home, rather recklessly.   
As Nancy approached her driveway, Minh, who was looking out her window, noticed how fast she was driving and figured something was wrong. She stepped outside of the house and went over to her fence that divided her house and the Hills. “Nancy!” she called to her as Nancy got out of the car.  
“What?!” Nancy shouted back.  
“What’s wrong with you? You drive fast!”  
“Nothing!” she shot back bitterly and hurried into the house.  
Minh shrugged and went back into her house to tell Kahn of what she saw.

“Kahn!” Minh exclaimed, rushing towards her husband.  
“What is it, Minh?”  
“Nancy Gribble drive fast on way home! I bet it has something to do with Dale or John Redcorn. I think she better off with John Redcorn. He way sexier.”  
“Dale is strange one. I don’t know why she married to him in first place, Minh.”  
“Me neither.”

Meanwhile, Nancy was groping around in the cabinets, trying to find the wine. She found it far back behind all the cereal. At the moment, thinking it would solve all of her problems, Nancy drank until she was stone drunk. She fell asleep in the arm chair in the living room, with a bottle in her hand. She woke up the next morning, late, to find she had 20 missed calls on her phone. They were all from Peggy. She called her back right away.  
“Hello?”  
“Peggy?” Nancy said, totally hung over.  
“Nancy! Why haven’t you been answering your phone?”  
“I’ve been asleep…”  
“Why haven’t you come to see your husband? He’s been moaning your name ever since he got here.”  
“You’re still at the hospital?”  
“Well, for god’s sake, Nancy! Someone had to stay with him! Hank and I have been here the whole time!”  
“Thanks, sug…I’ll come over as soon as possible…”  
“Nancy? Are you drunk?!”  
“No, Peggy…Just hung over a bit…”  
“Good god! You stay there, then! We’ll be fine here. I’ll just try to tune out Dale’s moans…On second thought, do you want to talk to him on the phone now?”  
“No, Peggy. I’m coming over there right now.” She hung up the phone and then tried to gussy herself up as much as she could and rushed out the door.

Before Dale’s visitors knew it, the door was being nearly barged down by Nancy.  
“Nancy!” Dale exclaimed when she hurried into his room.  
“You guys can leave now,” she said to the Hills. “Thank you so much for staying with him.”  
“You’re welcome, Nancy,” Peggy said. “We’ll leave you alone now…Good luck,” she whispered as she was passing by her.  
Once Hank and Peggy were out the door, Dale said, “Nancy, where have you been? I’ve been worried. Last I saw you, you were running out of the dance hall crying.”  
“Sorry, sug…How are you feeling?”  
“Oh, I feel fine. They’ve got this cast on me now. I’ll be just fine…are you okay?”  
“I’m just fine, sug. It just upset me, that’s all. John Redcorn shouldn’t have done that.”  
“It’s okay. I’ll get him back for it…”  
“No you won’t, sug. Just rest, okay?”  
“You know, it’s kind of funny how he lied about getting in your pants to try to make me jealous.”  
“Uh…yeah…heh heh…” Nancy laughed nervously, looking around and desperately trying to think of a way to change the subject. But luckily Dale did this for her.  
“Nancy…I really enjoyed dancing with you last night.”  
“So did I, sug.”  
After a silence, Dale said, “Is John Redcorn better than me?”  
“What?!” Nancy did a double take.   
“Is he a better dancer than me?” Seeing the relieved look on Nancy’s face at his clarification of the question, he said, “What’d you think I meant?”  
“Nothing, sug…Nothing…No, you’re a better dancer,” she assured him.  
“We could go dancing more often, if you’d like.”  
“We can even go bowling sometime,” she added.  
Dale smiled and said, “Come here, Nancy,” he motioned for her to come over closer to his bed. She walked over right up to the bed. He took her hand with his free one that wasn’t in a cast. “I really feel like we’ve gotten closer over the past few days and I’m glad,” he smiled.   
“I am too, Dale. I am too…” she smiled back.  
“Bend over, Nancy.”  
“I beg your pardon?” she did another double take.  
“Bend down, might be a better way to put it,” he chuckled. “So I can reach your face.” So she bent down and he kissed her forehead. She smiled and then straightened back up.  
“When can you come home, sug?”  
“Tomorrow, I imagine.”  
“I’ll stay here with you until you get to come home, okay?”

***

A couple of days later, in the morning time, Dale got up, arm still in cast obviously. He started getting dressed.  
“Sug, what are you doing?” Nancy asked, still in bed.  
“Getting ready for work.”  
“You have a broken arm. You’re not going anywhere, sug.”  
“But Nancy!” he whined.  
“Not buts, Dale,” she said firmly. “Get back into bed. It’s only 7:00.”  
“Fine…” he sighed and carefully got back into bed. Nancy scooted closer to Dale and used his stomach as a pillow. He rubbed her back with his free hand.

A couple of hours later, they were still laying in bed, and they heard a rap at the window. This startled them both and Nancy jumped up, ran over, and threw open the window, revealing John Redcorn standing there.  
“Nancy, you weren’t answering your door, so I came to your window.”  
Nancy gave him a bewildered look and then Dale said, “That’s creepy.”  
“You’re still here, Dale?”   
“Of course I am! I have a broken arm, remember?”  
“Oh yes, I remember now…” He was infuriating Dale just a bit and he jumped out of bed.  
“Sug! Your arm!” Nancy exclaimed.  
“He’s a moron, Nancy, remember?” John chuckled.  
That did it. Dale ran over to John Redcorn and gave him the best punch he could throw. Luckily, it was his left arm that had been broken and not his right. It was a good enough punch to set John Redcorn off balance and fall over to the ground.   
“Now leave my wife alone, you creep!” Dale shouted to him and slammed the window shut.  
Nancy turned to Dale in amazement. “Wow, sug! That was really brave of you!” she gushed, touching his good arm.   
“Just doing my job: Getting rid of the varmints.”  
Nancy chuckled and then said, “Awe…You’re sweet,” she gave him a big hug and he patted her back with his good arm.

Nancy and Dale had gotten closer the last few days, and she was mad at John Redcorn at the moment, but as soon as Dale left the house again, she would get lonely again. She was trying really hard to stop those shenanigans, but she was finding it rather hard to do. Maybe someday her life would be different, but for now, what Dale didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. As bad as that sounds, it’s true, but Dale is completely blind to the whole situation. But nevertheless, the last few days, Nancy had really started to realize exactly how much she loved Dale. So they were headed off to a good start in the right direction.


	4. Chapter 4

After Dale had finally gotten his cast taken off, Nancy decided to tell him the news.  
“Sug…” she started one evening.  
“Yes, Nancy?”  
“I have some good news.”  
“Well, out with it then.”  
“I’m pregnant!” she smiled widely.  
Dale just stared at her blankly. “Okay, what’s the good news?”  
“That’s the good news!”   
“I thought I told you I wasn’t ready for a kid right now?”  
“But sug, I couldn’t help it, and don’t you dare tell me to have an abortion because I won’t!”  
There was a big silence and then Dale said slowly, “Well…it could be interesting having a little baby around here…”  
“Of course it will be, sug!” she kissed him on the cheek.

As much as she wanted to tell Peggy the news, she figured it’d be best to keep it quiet and just let people figure out for themselves. She didn’t want to rouse things up…especially with John Redcorn.

The next afternoon, the guys were standing out in front of the fence, drinking beer as they always did after work.  
“Yep,” Hank said, to break the usual silence.  
“Yep,” Bill agreed.  
“Nancy’s pregnant,” Dale said.  
“Mm-hmm,” Boomhauer said, without thinking. “Wait, what man?”  
“Nancy’s pregnant,” Dale repeated.  
“Are you sure?” Bill said stupidly.  
“Yes, Bill,” Dale said a little irritably.  
“Well congratulations,” said Hank.   
“Yep,” Bill said. “Your first child,” he accidentally said, stupidly.   
“What?” Dale asked.  
“In a very long time, I mean. Heh heh,” he covered up.  
“Yeah…Joseph’s 13 now. It’s about time he has a little brother or sister.”  
Just then, Luanne was walking by to go inside the Hills’ house. She overheard Hank say this, though, before she stepped inside.  
“Yeah, it’ll be interesting having a little one around here…”  
Luanne gasped and ran into the house to find her aunt.  
“Aunt Peggy!” she exclaimed, running through the house. She found her aunt in the living room watching television. “Oh, Aunt Peggy, there you are.”  
“Luanne, where have you been?”  
“Um…I don’t remember.” Luanne had a definite one track mind. “Are you pregnant, Aunt Peggy?”  
“WHAT?!” this took Peggy aback.  
“I said…”  
“No, no! Of course I’m not, Luanne! What gave you that idea?”  
“Uncle Hank just said it’ll be interesting having a little one around here…”  
“Hm…Who was he talking to?”  
“Bill, Dale, and Boomhauer, as always.”  
Peggy thought for a minute and then her eyes widened as a light bulb turned on. “It’s Nancy! Nancy’s pregnant! I just know it!”  
“Mrs. Gribble?”  
“Yes, Luanne…Oh, I’m going to call her right now.” Peggy jumped up from the couch and ran to the kitchen. She quickly dialed the Gribble’s phone number.  
“Hello?” Nancy answered.  
“Nancy!” Peggy exclaimed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”  
“Tell you what?”  
“That you’re pregnant, silly!”  
“Oh god…Is it getting around?”  
“I guess so…the guys are talking about it outside. Oh, why didn’t you tell me, Nancy? I’m your best friend!”  
“I didn’t want it to get out at all…not now. I can’t imagine what’s going to happen when John Redcorn finds out.”  
“Well for one thing, John Redcorn skipped town and another, why should he care?”  
“He skipped town?”  
“Yeah, apparently the dance incident was too much for him…the stupid asshole,” she muttered.  
“Yes, it was very wrong of John Redcorn to do that. I’m very angry at him for that.”   
“You’re angry at him now…”  
“What’s that supposed to mean?”  
“You know very well, Nancy, that after you both cool off, you’ll be right where you left off.”  
“…I know,” she said quietly. Then Peggy heard a sniff.  
“Nancy, are you crying?”   
She heard Nancy take a deep breath. “I’ll be fine.”

***

Luanne found Bobby in his room reading a comic book and she knocked on the door.  
“Come in,” Bobby said.  
Luanne walked inside and said, “Hey Bobby. I was just wondering how you and Connie are doing.”  
“We’re doing good. Thanks…why?”  
“Well why are you sitting in here by yourself? Why don’t you invite her to the movies or something?”  
“Because Mom and Dad won’t let us go by ourselves.”  
“Well I could take you, Bobby.”  
“I don’t know, Luanne…”  
“And drop you off!”  
Bobby’s head popped up. “Keep talking.”  
“What’s more to say? Call Connie and invite her to the movies and I’ll take you.”  
“Okay. You’re awesome, Luanne…but wait? What if Mom finds out?”  
“Just do what I do…play dumb. If she asks where you were, then just be like ‘I don’t remember.’”  
“That’s easy for you though, because you’re…Oh never mind.” There was no point in telling his cousin that she’s an idiot.   
“I’ll just tell her I was with you the whole time. I’ll go shopping while you are at the movies.”  
Wow, Bobby thought. For an idiot, she could plan some good schemes. 

So an hour later, Bobby and Connie were in the movie theater, alone, watching Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince together and Luanne was shopping at the mall.  
“I’m so glad we’re here alone, Bobby,” Connie whispered during the previews.  
“Same here, Connie,” Bobby whispered back.   
“You have an amazing cousin! She must be a genius.”  
This made Bobby chuckle. “Well, she’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but she knows how to plan schemes…and get guys, but I don’t see how that’d help me.” They chuckled and then the movie started and they turned their attention the big screen. 

At the mall, Luanne was heading toward Hollister when she heard her name. She turned around to be face to face with her Aunt Peggy.  
“Why, Aunt Peggy! What a surprise! What are you doing here?”  
“I got so excited about Nancy having a baby that I’m getting a head start on buying baby shower gifts for her,” she smiled and then frowned. “What are you doing here? I thought you were at the movies with Bobby and Connie.”  
“Um…I was? I mean, of course I was!...Wasn’t I?”  
“Don’t play dumb with me Luanne. I know you’re not the brightest bulb out there, but come on! I’m going over to that movie theater right now and pulling those two out of the theater!”  
“No! They’ll be so embarrassed!”  
“Exactly my point! And wait a minute, missy, do you even have your driver’s license yet?”  
“Um…I think my permit expired a year ago…Or two years…I can’t remember. But I can drive!”  
“Not legally you can’t!”  
“Well…I’ll see you later, Aunt Peggy! I’m going to Hollister.”  
“No you’re not. You’re coming with me. And then you’re grounded young lady.”  
“But what about the car?”  
Peggy sighed. “Take the car home and if you get caught I swear I will wring your neck!”  
“Oh dear!” Luanne’s hands immediately went up to her neck.

Peggy went into the room where the Harry Potter movie was being shown, after escaping ushers who weren’t going to let her in. She had to knock a couple out to get through. She spotted Bobby and Connie…kissing! She ran over there and hissed, “Time to go,” and pulled Bobby by the hand and dragged him outside, Connie following.  
“We’re sorry, Mrs. Hill…”  
“It was Luanne’s fault, Mom,” Bobby insisted.  
“It’s partly her fault, I’ll admit, but you didn’t have to agree to let her take you.”  
“I’m a kid. What can I say?”  
“I don’t know what you can say, but here’s what I say. You’re grounded.”  
“Aw, man,” Bobby groaned.

***

About a month goes past, and Nancy starts to show a bit. She was standing in the kitchen and Dale walks up to her and tickles her, saying, “I’m starting to see where that baby is!”  
Nancy laughed and blushed. Then the phone rang and Dale answered. After a bunch of “mmh-hmm’s” and a “I’ll be right there,” he hung up and said, “Nancy, I’ve got to go kill some vermin. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”  
“Okay, sug.”   
After Dale had left, outside in the bushes popped out John Redcorn, who had been spying and waiting for Dale to leave. He walked up to the door and rang the bell.  
Nancy answered it. “Oh, hi John Redcorn.”  
“Hello, Nancy. I want to apologize for everything. I feel very bad. I really went too far hurting Dale like that. Is he okay now?”  
“Of course he’s okay now. It’s been over a month…Where’ve you been?”  
“Oh…did you miss me?” he smiled.  
“Where’ve you been?” she repeated, ignoring that question.  
“I went to be alone for a while. I just went driving and driving until I found somewhere far away from here and camped out for a few weeks. I just felt so bad. I made you cry, Nancy and that made me very unhappy.”  
“Oh…I’m sorry. Why don’t you come in? There’s no point in you standing outside.”  
John Redcorn walked inside and they both headed for the kitchen table. Before they sat down, he noticed something. “Nancy?” he said. “Are you…pregnant?”  
Nancy looked at him for a moment and then nodded her head.  
“Oh, good!” he sounded very relieved. “I thought you were just getting fat. That scared me for a moment. Haha.”  
“Nope. I’m pregnant.”  
“Is it mine?” he sounded hopeful.  
“No. This time it is rightfully Dale’s.”  
“Oh,” he sounded a bit disappointed. “Where is Joseph?” he asked, looking around.  
“Oh, probably out with his friends.”  
“You don’t know exactly where he is?”  
“Sug, he’ll be fine. He’s 13 for crying out loud. He’s just around in the neighborhood somewhere. He’ll be back for lunch I’m sure.”  
“Hm…gives us enough time to…”  
“Sug…” Nancy sighed. “Not today.”  
“Okay, maybe tomorrow.”  
Nancy rolled her eyes.

That afternoon after lunch and after Dale had left on another call, Joseph said, “Mom…can I talk to you?”  
“Of course. What’s on your mind, sweetheart?”  
“Well…you know how Connie’s taking all those summer classes for smart people?”  
“Yes…what about it?”  
“She’s been babbling on about all this scientific stuff she’s learned lately…And today I learned about DNA and chromosomes and all that mess.”  
“Okay,” Nancy couldn’t see where he was going with this.  
“Mom. Why is my skin darker than both yours and Dad’s? It doesn’t seem genetically possible for me to have this kind of skin. I look nothing like Dad!”   
“Well, sweetheart…” Nancy shuffled around in her seat, trying to find a way to put it. “You are just a very special boy and you are just special in every way.”  
Joseph just looked at his mother and then jumped up and shouted, “That’s what you always say! I want the truth! For all I know, I could be adopted!” he ran out of the room and out of the house, furious, and slammed the door behind him.  
“Joseph!” she called, but he was gone.  
“Oh dear…” she sighed. “I knew this day would come, but I was hoping I’d be dead when it did…”  
Nancy needed someone to cry to, and the first person she thought of was John Redcorn. She had to talk to him about this situation involving their son. So she called him up.  
“Nancy. What a surprise!”  
“Could you come over? It’s important.”  
“Gladly.”

So John Redcorn came over and somehow he managed to get them to go into her bedroom to talk.  
“Now. What is it, Nancy?”  
“It’s about Joseph…”  
“What? Is he hurt?”  
“No…well, sort of…He asked me the burning question today.”   
“The burning question?” John Redcorn was confused.  
“The –how can Dale be my father—type question.”  
“Oh…heh heh. I knew this day would come.”  
“This isn’t funny! And yes, I knew it would too. I was just hoping I wouldn’t be alive when it came.”  
“Well, what’d you say?”  
“I said that he’s just a very special boy.”  
“Genius, Nancy,” he said sarcastically. “Did this anger him?”  
“Very much.”  
“He deserves the truth.”  
“I know he does! But we’ve kept it secret for so long…I can’t bear to tell him after 13 years! And then it’ll lead telling Dale! It’ll crush them both.”  
“Well, maybe once everything’s out and settled, then maybe we could make arrangements for him to visit me? You know, his father?”  
“Oh, John, I don’t think that could ever happen. Dale’s the only father he’s ever known. It would be so awkward.”  
“Then why are you even thinking about telling him?”  
“I don’t know! I don’t know what I’m going to do! I’ll just keep quiet until he brings it up again. If there comes a time I absolutely have to tell him, then so be it.”  
“Okay. Sounds good. Just go with the flow…So how’d bout going with the flow now and chancing sneaking some time in before Dale gets home?”  
Nancy sighed and realized she was going to give in, so there was no point in trying to refuse.

Joseph had come in the house, a little cooled off now, and was walking to his room. But as he was passing his parents’ room, he heard some sounds he could’ve done without hearing that were coming from his mother…and…Wait. Dad was at work. So who was it? Joseph peered through the key hole and saw a glimpse. He could barely see, but he was sure that was John Redcorn in bed with his mother. He ran in his room very angrily, and slammed the door hard.   
Nancy and John heard the door slam and Nancy said, “Was that Joseph, I wonder? What if he…?”  
“Oh dear…I guess now would be time to tell him.”  
“We’ll see. I’ll go talk to him right now.” She stood up and started to walk over to the door.  
“Um…Nancy, you might want to put a little something more on.”  
“Oh,” she looked at herself and realized she wasn’t decent and put some clothes on hurriedly and went to Joseph’s room. In the meantime, John Redcorn escaped by jumping out the window.

Dale was coming home at the moment and saw John Redcorn walking away from his house.  
“Hey, John Redcorn!” he waved as he was getting out of his truck.  
“Hello, Dale. I heard your wife is pregnant.”  
“Yes, she is.”  
“So you’re finally having one of your own.”  
“You mean, besides Joseph, of course.”  
“Of course,” John Redcorn said curtly and then muttered, “Whatever gets you through the day.”  
“What was that?”  
“Nothing. Good day to you, Dale.”  
“Good day to you, John Redcorn.” He proceeded to the front door. He wandered through the house, looking for Nancy. He figured he’d go ask Joseph where she was, so he started for his bedroom, but stopped short when he heard Nancy talking. He stopped and listened very carefully.  
“Look, Joseph, I know what you saw was not fitting for you to see…”  
“It wasn’t fitting for you to be doing, either,” Joseph mumbled.  
What are they talking about? Dale wondered.   
“And about what you were asking me earlier, sug…Well…It’s about time I tell you the truth, I suppose…I didn’t want to ever have to tell you, but I suppose you’re old enough now and you have every right to know…”  
Dale leaned closer to the door and listened even more carefully.   
“You don’t look like your father, because…he isn’t your father.”  
Dale was confused, but listened still.  
“What?” Joseph said, astonished.  
“Dale is not your father, Joseph.”  
Dale’s heart sank.  
“Then who is, Mom?”  
Nancy took a deep breath and said, “John Redcorn.”  
Dale then felt a sense of jealousy run through his body.  
“Oh. That makes sense,” Joseph said quietly. “I think…”  
“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you this before, but you understand, don’t you? I didn’t want to hurt you.”  
“I understand, Mom…But I just can’t see John Redcorn being my father…He’s so…Weird.”  
“He seems weird, but he just wants to know you, Joseph.”  
“By creeping me out?”  
Nancy sighed, “Look, I know it’s a lot to take in right now.”  
“But Mom, if it’s all the same to you, I’m going to continue calling Dale my dad, because that’s how I feel.”  
This made Dale’s heart lighten slightly.  
“I wouldn’t want anything better,” Nancy smiled.  
“Does Dad know?” Joseph said quietly.  
Nancy bit her lip. “No…”  
“Don’t you think he deserves to know, too?”  
“It’s going to be so much harder on him than it was you, I’m afraid, sug.” She patted his hand sadly and then got up to walk out of his room. She opened the door to be standing face to face with Dale, who was straight faced.  
“Oh, Dale! You scared me…How much did you hear?” she said quietly.  
“Enough,” he said simply, still straight faced. “The little light bulb has finally turned on in my head.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Sug…” Nancy touched Dale’s arm gently.  
Dale was silent for a moment and then he spoke. “13 years…”  
“Sug…” Nancy repeated.  
“I’ve just got one question for you right now Nancy…”  
“What is that?”  
Dale looked at her seriously in the eye and said, “Is that baby in your womb mine?”  
“Yes, Dale, it is.”  
“Okay. Just making sure.” He walked off into their bedroom. Nancy followed him and sat at the foot of the bed beside him.  
“Now sug, I know you’re upset…”  
“13 years…” he repeated. “You went that long without telling me. Why didn’t you just tell me?”  
“You know how hard that would be to tell my husband that my son has another father?”  
“I would’ve much rather you told me years ago. It wouldn’t have hurt as much…Everyone knew, didn’t they? This whole time.”  
“Um…yes, sug,” she looked down.  
“And you all took me for a moron? You thought I would never find out, didn’t you?”  
“Well, you never did…”  
“Damn it, Nancy! That’s not the point. The point is, y’all all think I’m some gullible stupid ass that doesn’t know anything. Someone you can just falsely accuse them of being a boy’s father and make them think all the kid’s life that they’re the dad…I grew to really love Joseph as if he was my own…because I thought he was my own…And then I find out that he’s not even mine!...This means that you were cheating on me at some point in our marriage, Nancy…” he said sadly.  
Nancy burst into tears in spite of herself.  
“It was so long ago, though…It’s okay, I guess…But…Oh god, I’m just going to go to sleep right now. I’ll see you in the morning, Nancy.” He got in his spot in the bed, lay down and closed his eyes.  
Nancy looked at him sadly, took a deep breath, and then walked out of the room. She needed a shoulder to cry on so she went over to the Hills. Peggy would listen. She knocked at the door.  
Hank answered. “Hi Nancy. What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to cry. Oh, I bet it’s the pregnancy thing. Well…um…Peggy’s in the living room if you’re here for her.”   
“Thanks, sug…” She made her way through the house and into the living room.   
“Hi, Nancy,” Peggy said, turning off the TV. “You look troubled. What’s wrong? Come sit down,” she patted on the couch beside her, gesturing for Nancy to sit.  
Nancy sat down, took a deep breath, and let everything out that had happened earlier.  
Peggy’s jaw dropped. “Oh my god! Was there no way to cover it up? You’ve kept it from him all these years!”  
“I know, Peggy…but he overheard us talking and it was plain as day.”  
“Why did you tell Joseph?”  
“Because he deserved to know…and he’s not stupid like his father…or um…Dale.”  
“Does John Redcorn know you told him?  
“He knows I told Joseph…because um…” she let her eyes slide to the side, “we were in bed together right before I told him.”  
Peggy gasped. “Did Joseph realize that…?”  
Nancy nodded solemnly. “He saw us through the key hole.”  
“Oh dear lord! I’m really sorry, Nancy. I bet you were hoping this day would never come.”  
“Yes. I was hoping…but who was I fooling thinking that? It was going to come eventually and people were going to get hurt.”  
“Please tell me you’re going to stop seeing John Redcorn.”  
“Well, Dale doesn’t know that we’re still seeing each other. He still believes that he just comes to heal my headaches.”  
“Wow…he is dumb…but honestly Nancy. Think about what Dale has done these past few weeks. Think of how good he’s been to you. He’s tried so hard. He really loves you, Nancy.”  
“I know…” she looked down.  
“And I’m sure he’s pretty upset about this news, so think about how upset he would be if he found out about your affair.”  
“He would be heartbroken, I’m sure…”  
“Hank!” Peggy called.   
“What?” he peeked around the corner.   
“Would you go talk to Dale?”  
“About…?”  
“The present situation. Trust me, he’ll talk.”  
“What’s the present situation?”  
Nancy looked at Hank and said, “He knows that he’s not Joseph’s father.”  
Hank gasped. “Oh dear lord…I’ll go talk to him.” He started out the door.  
“Oh wait, Hank!” Peggy got up and rummaged through a drawer and found a tape recorder. “Take this with you.”  
“What the?” he said as he was being shoved the small device.  
“I want to hear where this conversation goes. And if he says anything about his love for Nancy, I’m sure she’d like to know.”  
“Um…I feel weird doing this…”  
“Just be sneaky. Now go!”  
Hank shrugged and was about to walk out the door and Nancy said, “One more thing, sug. Dale’s asleep.”  
“So you want me to wake him up?”  
“Well how else are you supposed to get him to talk?”  
“Oh god…” he said and then left.

Hank went over to the Gribble’s house, tape recorder in pocket, and went into Dale’s bedroom. He didn’t bother knocking. He went over to where Dale was sleeping and shook him really hard. “Dale! Wake up!”  
Dale shot up immediately and yelled, “ALIENS! They’re coming to get me I just know it!”  
“Dale, good god. Calm down. It’s me, Hank.”  
He looked at Hank. “Hank, what are you doing in my bedroom? Where’s Nancy?”  
“She’s over at our house.”  
“Oh…Has she had a kid with you, too? Is Bobby hers, and not Peggy’s? He has blonde hair, Hank. That’s a bit odd…”  
“Dale, be quiet and keep your shirt on. She is talking to Peggy. And don’t talk about your wife like that. Everyone makes mistakes…” And continues to make them, he thought.  
“I know, Hank…but it just really hurt me to hear about it.”  
“I’m sure it did. But she was only hiding it from you to protect you. She loves you, Dale. She loves you a lot and didn’t want to hurt you.”  
“She still should’ve told me.”  
“Maybe so. But once again, people make mistakes. I’m sure you’ve made plenty mistakes in your time…But let’s not get into all that. Right now, let’s talk about Nancy,” he smiled. He felt so stupid sitting there with his best friend talking about his wife, but he didn’t want Peggy to be like an ice pick in his ear, so he did what she wished. When Dale wasn’t looking, he punched the record button on the recorder in his pocket. “There’s no point in being angry about all this because it will get you nowhere. What’s done is done. Your wife loves you and I’m pretty sure you love her too. You’ve went to some great lengths (for you, anyway) the past month really showing you care and…stuff,” he really didn’t know where he was going with this.  
“Well I felt bad, because I hadn’t been treating her like I should…but now that I know she treated me like crap…” Dale was getting me a bit angry.  
“Dale…”  
But he kept on. “I never kept anything from her. And I’ve always loved her and her only. I never have loved another woman like I love Nancy. I’ve never felt the need to find myself another woman. But I guess I’m just not good enough for her…I know she deserves better…” he looked down.  
“No, Dale! Nancy loves you very much. What happened in the uh…past is done.”  
“But I don’t deserve her, Hank…”  
“Whether or not you deserve her is not the point, because you have her regardless. She married you because she loves you.”  
“And I love her a lot, Hank…This feels really weird talking to you about this…Usually we’re just some guys standing outside having a beer and talking about life, but this…this is deep. Don’t let the guys know we sat and talked about this, would you Hank?”  
“I wouldn’t dream of it. Believe me, Dale…” Hank felt just about as awkward as Dale, if not more so.  
“But I really and truly do love her, Hank. It may not seem like it sometimes, but I do…With all my heart.”  
There was a big silence and then Hank said awkwardly, “Well…I guess I’m going to go now. You can go back to sleep.”  
“Okay, Hank…I’ll see you around.”  
“See ya, Dale.” And with that, Hank left, pressing the stop button on the recorder as he went.

As soon as he walked in the door of his house, he was bombarded by Peggy and Nancy. “Well, what’d you get?” Peggy asked.  
“What’s on the tape recorder right here.” He took it out of his pocket and Peggy snatched it from him.  
As Peggy and Nancy were greedily leaning over the device, Hank was joking, “It all kind of sounds like a moment on an episode of Full House if you think about it,” he chuckled.  
“SHH!” the two women said.  
Hank sighed and left the room.

By the time the tape was over, Nancy was in tears. It didn’t strike Peggy exactly like that.  
“It’s sweet and all, but uh…” she started.  
Nancy blew her nose. “Oh, you don’t know Dale like I do, sug. That was some of the sweetest things he’s ever said!!”   
Peggy patted her back and smiled. “See? He really does love you, Nancy.”  
Nancy sniffed and nodded. “Yes…He does. I’m going to go back home and get some sleep. Hopefully tomorrow things won’t be too awkward between Dale and I.”  
“Good luck, Nancy.”  
Nancy gave Peggy a small smile and walked out the door. Peggy really hoped that Nancy would make the right decision and break things off with John Redcorn. Why couldn’t she see that all she needed was right in front of her? She didn’t need John Redcorn. She had a great husband (Peggy didn’t see anything exactly attractive about Dale, but whatever floated Nancy’s boat) and he cared very much for her and would fly to the moon for her. 

The next morning…   
Connie and Bobby were both going through the “I’m bored and miss my boyfriend/girlfriend blues.” Connie couldn’t even concentrate on her homework properly.  
“Connie!” Kahn yelled. “Why aren’t you studying?! We’re not paying for this summer program for you to sit around and do nothing!”  
“Well if I wasn’t grounded, then I’d be able to concentrate!”  
“Nice try, missy. You just miss that Bobby Hill.”  
“Yeah, Connie,” Minh said. “That kid not even right for you. He chubby and stupid.”  
“He dumb like his father Hank Hill,” Kahn said.  
“Don’t insult the Hills!” Connie snapped, angrily.  
“I can insult whoever I want to, missy! Now do your studying!”  
“No! I refuse! I won’t study again until I get to see Bobby again!”  
“Fine then! See if you go to college!”  
“I’m so smart, they’ll let me in for free!”   
Kahn paused, realizing this was probably true. “Well, I’ll lock you up in cage and you won’t go anywhere!”  
“That’s child harassment and I could file charges on you!”  
Kahn let out a big sigh and left the room.  
“Don’t speak to your father like that, young lady!”  
Connie just huffed, closed her school books and stomped off to her room.

Bobby was in the kitchen and had just finished breakfast. “When’s my punishment going to be up, Mom?”  
“Another few days, Bobby.”  
“This isn’t fair…” Bobby grumbled.  
“Yes it is, Bobby. You deserve the punishment we’re giving you. You disobeyed your parents. We told you specifically not to the movies alone with Connie and you did.”  
“I know…” he sighed. “I wonder if Connie misses me…”  
“I’m sure she does, Bobby. Now why don’t you go on up to your room and start on your summer reading?”  
“Summer reading? What summer reading?”  
“I’ve devised a plan for you to really get educated this summer. And what a better time to do than when you’re grounded? You’re going to enjoy the works of Mark Twain, Nathanial Hawthorne, Charles Dickens, and more!”  
“All in one summer?!” Bobby exclaimed, horrified at the idea.   
“Well of course not, Bobby. It’ll be over a course of time. But I expect you to finish To Kill A Mockingbird by the time school starts.”  
“Aw, come on Mom! You’ve got to be joking!” he glanced at his dad.   
“Don’t drag me into this, Bobby,” Hank said. “This is your mother’s doing, and I’ll stand by her on it. It’ll be good for you. Now go up to your room and read!”  
“This rots!” Bobby got up and stormed off to his room.

Dale and Nancy didn’t talk to each other that morning. Dale had gotten up silently to get ready for work. Nancy had noticed him get up and he had noticed her open her eyes, but they both didn’t even say good morning. Dale went on to work and Nancy closed her eyes and sighed. She had a feeling things were going to be really awkward for a while, but she just hoped it wouldn’t last long. Just then, she felt the effects of morning sickness taking over her and she ran to the bathroom. This wasn’t going to help the present situation much.   
A couple of hours later, the phone rang. It was Peggy.  
“How has it gone so far?” she wanted to know.  
“We haven’t spoken to each other at all…”  
“Oh…well, me and Hank hardly speak in the morning’s either…” That wasn’t true, but she was trying to lighten her spirits. “But Dale will be home for lunch and I’m sure you’ll speak then…”  
“Maybe so, sug…”  
“I’ll back again later to check on you, okay?”  
“Okay. Thanks, sug.”

But lunch rolled around, and Dale didn’t come home. And just when Nancy was going to go for the wine, she found herself picking up the phone and calling John Redcorn instead.  
“Hello?”  
“John Redcorn…”  
“Nancy!” he sounded surprised. “How, um, nice of you to call. Is there something wrong?”  
“Yes…I’m feeling a giant migraine headache coming on.”  
“Oh…Um…I’ll be over as soon as I can.”  
Nancy then heard a girl’s voice (or at least, she was pretty sure it was a girl) in the background say, “Who is it?”  
“Who’s that, John Redcorn?” but he’d already hung up.   
It shouldn’t have mattered to Nancy whatsoever, but it did concern her. So curiously, she got in the car and headed over to John Redcorn’s trailer.   
After a few moments, he came to the door, shirtless, zipping up his pants.   
“Oh, hello Nancy. I told you I would be over as soon as possible. Is your headache that bad?” he chuckled a bit, nervously.   
Just then, there was a call of, “John Redcorn!” and a patter of footsteps. “Who is that at the door?” A woman wearing only a towel appeared beside him.  
“I told you to stay in the bedroom,” he muttered, then looked sheepishly at Nancy. “I have been healing her headaches…” he explained in a lie.  
“Where have I heard that before?” Nancy said coldly, staring at him a moment before saying, “Goodbye, John Redcorn,” and wheeled around and left. When she said goodbye this time, it wasn’t just the usual goodbye. It was the goodbye. The message may have not been very definite, but John Redcorn understood that it was over.

Maybe that’s what it had to take to get Nancy to finally come through, John Redcorn “cheating” on her. If it hurt her that bad to find that the person she was cheating with was cheating on her, then she couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to be cheated on when you’ve been faithful to your lover. She started to feel especially horrible that she’d done that to Dale for so long, but she felt like she’d done the right thing just then. Finally, she’d done something right. But now if she could set thing right with Dale and the present situation. Then she could live life the way she’s supposed to, having one lover…


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Dale got up to get ready for work. Nancy had opened her eyes and just watched him. Dale noticed this and neither of them said a word. Nancy just lay in bed for a while. She had lots of different emotions inside her. Although she felt like a weight had been lifted, she still felt guilt. Ending things with John Redcorn didn’t fix what happened in the past. All it did was reduce the chances of Dale finding out that Nancy had continued the affair up until that point.  
But after a while she realized there was nothing she could do but get out of bed and face the day and whatever it had in store for her. She got up and fixed breakfast for her and Joseph.  
“Joseph!” she called, waking him up. “Breakfast!”  
Joseph came in groggily and said, “But you never fix a big breakfast like this.”  
“I’m trying something new,” she smiled.  
Joseph peered around and said uncomfortably, “Um…John Redcorn isn’t here, is he?”  
“No,” Nancy said firmly. She saw the uncomfortable look on her son’s face and sighed. “Sit down, Joseph.”  
She filled a plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast and a glass of orange juice in front of him. She did the same for herself and then sat down.   
She took a deep breath and said, “Sug, I broke it off with John Redcorn.”  
“You did?” he lightened a bit.  
“Yes, sug.”  
“But I don’t understand why you were with him at all.”  
“If I wasn’t with him, then you wouldn’t be here,” she chuckled.  
“Well maybe I shouldn’t be here then.”  
“Don’t talk like that. Of course you should. Everything happens for a reason.”  
“I guess…but why’d you continue to see him, Mom? Didn’t you feel guilty?”   
“At times I did…but it was just so easy because your dad never suspected a thing.”  
“Because he trusted you.”  
Nancy looked down. Trusted. Past tense. Did Dale not trust her anymore?  
“Suddenly I don’t feel hungry anymore…” she put down her fork, stood up, and walked out. She went to her bedroom and called Peggy.

“Hello?”  
“Peggy…”  
“Nancy, how are you?” her friend sounded concerned.  
“Okay I guess…I just had a talk with Joseph.”  
“How’s he taking the news?”  
“A bit better now that he knows I broke up with John Redcorn.”  
“You did?! Hallelujah!” she exclaimed.  
“Yes. He was…cheating on me,” she said with difficulty.  
“How dare he!”  
“But it really hit me hard…”  
“I imagine it did.”  
“I’m going to go try to occupy myself and not get my hopes up when Dale doesn’t come home for lunch. We haven’t spoken since I told him.”  
“Oh dear.”  
“Yeah, I’m going to go.”  
“Okay, I’m here if you need me.”  
“Thanks, sug.”

Nancy went to go watch some TV when Joseph came up to her and said, “Mom…Does this mean John Redcorn won’t be coming over anymore?”  
“Oh, sug, I can’t promise that. He’s your father, after all. He’ll want to see you sometimes.”  
Joseph sighed.  
“I know it’s hard on you, sug. It’s hard on all of us.”  
“How’s it hard on you? You weren’t lied to your whole life.”   
This hit Nancy hard, but it was true. This was all her fault and there was nothing she could do to fix it. Not unless she could find a time machine. She swallowed hard and then said, “Joseph…”  
He shook his head and said, “I’m going over to Bobby’s.”  
Nancy then turned her attention to the TV. Maybe I can catch up on my soap opera, she thought. On the TV, a boy was saying, “I can’t believe you lied to me, Mom!” Never mind, she thought, changing the channel to another soap. “You’ve been cheating on me?!” a man exclaimed. Oh good God! She thought and turned the TV off and lay down.   
She fell asleep and when she woke up, hours later, Dale was trudging through the house. It was after 5.  
“Oh sug!” she called. No answer. She jumped off the couch and ran into the kitchen to find him looking into the fridge. “I’m sorry, I didn’t fix dinner. I was asleep.”  
Dale grunted and said, more to himself than Nancy, “I’ll eat at Hank’s,” and left.  
Well apparently the Hills’ is the party house, she thought with a despairing sigh. She fixed herself a sandwich and sat down, barely eating.

After dinner, the guys went to have a beer outside.  
“Yep,” Hank said.  
“Yep,” Bill added.  
“Yep,” Dale said distantly.   
“Mm-hmm,” Boomhauer contributed.  
“Dale?” Hank said. “Are you okay?”  
“Eh…” was all he said.  
“Are you and Nancy okay?”  
“Mm…” he grunted.  
“Dale, God dang it. Speak to me.”  
Dale responded by dropping his beer can on the ground and slowly walking over to his house.  
“Oh God…” Hank said. “I understand that Dale’s going through a hard time right now, but jeez.”  
“I’m sure Nancy is too,” Bill said.  
Boomhauer said, “She cheated on the dang ol’ boy for 13, 14 years and never dang told him…She needs to punished, man. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dale divorces the god dang ol’ whore…Yup.”  
“Let’s not talk bad about Nancy now,” Hank said. “Bill’s right. She’s probably going through a tough time too.”  
“That’s right,” Bill nodded his head.  
“Oh, I bet she’s going through a hard time alright. She’s probably enjoying it all and dang sucking it all up, the dang ol’ bitch.”  
“BOOMHAUER! That’s enough!” Hank bellowed.  
“Well, it’s just dang ol’ facts, man. She’s just a dang ol’…” but the rest of his sentence were mumbles, for Bill had clamped his hand over his friend’s mouth.  
“Stop!” Bill exclaimed. “Those are such mean things you are saying.” He took his hand away.  
“You god dang ol’ sissy, man.”  
“I’m not a sissy!” Boomhauer casually kicked Bill in the shin. “Ow! Mommy!” Bill cried.

Inside the Gribble house, that night, Dale was in the basement and Nancy was in bed. It wasn’t until after 12, that Dale came in the bedroom. Nancy was still awake when he came and lay next to her.  
“Sug,” she touched his shoulder. Dale merely grunted. “Sug!” she tried again. Dale was silent. “Dale…” she said weakly.  
“I think there’s a freakin’ rat in here. I’m going to sleep on the couch.” He grabbed his pillow and left, leaving Nancy to cry.

That kind of thing went on for the next few days. The guys’ afternoons outside were a little awkward.  
“Dale, have you still not been speaking to Nancy?” Hank asked.  
“No…” he trailed off.  
“God dang it, Dale. She’s been miserable these past few days. Trust me, Peggy’s been giving me an earful…”  
“Well, she should be dang ol’ miserable, the little dang ol’ cheater…” Boomhauer spat.  
“I wouldn’t take it that far,” Dale said.  
“Hey, I’m just looking out for you, man. You’re one of my dang ol’ best friends and I know a bad egg when I see one, and she’s a dang ol’ bad egg...”  
“It was so long ago, though…” Dale said.  
“Exactly,” Hank said, smiling.  
“Long ago my dang foot. She’s been with dang ol’ Redcorn for 14 years…yup.”  
“What?” Dale said, confused.  
“BWAH!” Hank exclaimed, freaking out. “BOOMHAUER!”  
“Well he dang ol’ needed to know sometime, man.”  
Dale looked from Hank to Boomhauer, then looked Boomhauer in the eye and said, “I don’t believe you.” But he looked a little doubtful. He dropped his can and went to his house.  
“God dang it, Boomhauer.”  
“Sorry, but when a dang ol’ girl’s cheatin’, the man needs to dang know.”  
“Well we’ve all known for 14 years and never told him.”  
“And that’s wrong.”

Dale walked into his house and called, “Nancy!”  
She quickly appeared, smiling. “Yes, sug?”  
“I don’t want to hear the details, Nancy…”  
“What?”  
“I just want to start over. Hi, my name’s Dale Gribble. What’s yours?”  
“Nancy Gribble…” she said, confused.  
“Play along, Nancy. I said we’re starting over.”  
“Oh...You want my maiden name, don’t you, sug? Okay. Nancy Hicks…”  
“Are you seeing anyone?”  
“No…” she said slowly and then looked him in the eye, as if studying him for a moment. She then smiled and repeated, “No, Dale! I’m not!”  
“Really?”  
“Really.” The serious look on her face told him that she was telling the truth.  
“Okay, then. How about we cut the small talk and go upstairs, huh?”  
“Sounds good to me, sug,” she smiled.  
Dale swept Nancy off her feet (literally), making her smile and carried her upstairs.

***

Bobby was in his room, pretending to read one of the books his mother wanted him to read and wondering when his punishment would be up. Just then, there was a knock at his door.  
“Bobby, it’s your mother.”  
“Come in.”  
Peggy let herself in and said, “I’ve got good news. Your grounding is over.”  
“Really?” Bobby’s eyes lit up.  
“Yes. You are now free.”  
“Yes!” he exclaimed. “Can I go over to Connie’s house?”  
“Sure thing Bobby. As long as I know her parents are home.”  
Bobby looked out the window. “Mrs. Souphanousanphone’s car is home.”  
“Alright, Bobby. You may go…I’m sure Connie will be happy to see you.”

So Bobby walked over to their neighbor’s and rang the doorbell.  
Minh answered. “Oh, it’s you Bobby Hill,” she said disgustedly. “The one making my daughter do horrible and embarrassing things. What do you want?”  
“To see Connie, please, ma’am.”  
“Well, Connie’s studying…”  
Just then, Connie came rushing up to the door, having heard Bobby’s voice. “Bobby!” she exclaimed.  
“Connie! I thought you were studying for big test!”  
“No, I was trying to distract myself from thinking about how I can’t see Bobby. But now his grounding is over!”  
“Unfortunately…I guess you can come in, Bobby.”  
“Thanks, Mrs. Souphanousanphone.”  
“Ugh,” she said, hearing her name in a country drawl from a little boy. “Stupid country folk…” She then walked back into the kitchen and left the two alone.  
“I’ve missed you, Bobby,” Connie said.  
“I’ve missed you, too, Connie,” Bobby replied. “I’m sorry I got you in trouble.”  
“It wasn’t your fault. It was just as much my fault as yours.”  
“I agreed to let Luanne drop us off in the first place…”  
“But it was a good idea! Our parents need to loosen up a bit! We’re 13 for crying out loud!”  
“Well I’m just glad I can see you again…”  
“Me too Bobby!” she gave him a big hug, which he returned.

***

Back at the Gribble house…  
Nancy and Dale had decided to put all the stuff that had happened and been let out the last few days behind them. They were sitting on their bed together cuddling contentedly.   
“So when’s your baby due, again?”  
“Not till March.”  
“Wow. That’s a long time, huh?”  
“Yes, it’s quite a while, shug,” she smiled.  
“It’ll be worth the wait…It’ll be my first child…” he smiled sheepishly.   
“Dale…Joseph has always been your son.”  
“Not technically…”  
“Technically or not, Dale, he’s always seen you as a father and you’ve always treated him excellently like a son.”  
Dale smiled. Just then, the bedroom door opened.  
“Mom?”  
“Joseph!” she exclaimed, then realizing it was not Joseph’s fault, she shouted instead, “Dale! You didn’t lock the door?!”  
“Sorry…”  
“It’s okay, Mom. I’d much rather find you and Dad in bed, then…” Nancy started gesturing for him to stop talking. “I mean…It’s good to see you and Dad so happy,” he smiled. Dale wasn’t even going to ask. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry for being so hostile earlier,” he looked down.  
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I deserved it,” Nancy assured him. “But I forgive you.”  
He looked back up and smiled. “Thanks, Mom.”

Once he’d left the room, Dale said, “What was he apologizing for?”  
“Nothing, shug. It’s all fine now. Everything is just fine,” she smiled and then kissed him on the lips.

***

The next morning, the door bell rang.  
Nancy answered it and found John Redcorn standing there. She gasped and said, “John Redcorn!”  
“Nancy,” he said curtly. “May I come in?”  
“Uh…” she looked around in a panic. “I thought we um…worked things out?” she continued looking around.  
“I’m here to speak to Dale about something.”  
“Why?”  
“Concerning our son, Joseph.”  
“John Redcorn, there’s nothing you need to discuss with Dale…”  
“Let me speak to Dale,” he commanded. Nancy sighed and called, “Dale! John Redcorn’s here to see you!”  
Dale came into the kitchen and said, “Hello, John Redcorn. I hear you need to see me?”  
“Yes, Dale. Please, sit down,” he gestured toward the kitchen table. Funny he should be offering Dale a spot at his own kitchen table, or so Dale thought.   
Dale obeyed and John Redcorn sat in a chair across from him.   
“Nancy, do you mind…?”  
“Oh, you want me to leave?”  
“If you don’t mind…”  
“Fine,” she crossed her arms in a huff and left.  
“Now,” John Redcorn said. “We both know now who is the legal parent of Joseph John Gribble.”  
“Yes…” Dale said slowly. “What’s your point?”  
“My point is…I want to make up a schedule to arrange visits.”  
“What kind of visits?”  
“I think we should take turns keeping Joseph.”  
“Like baby-sitters? My son doesn’t need a baby-sitter.”  
“You mean my son.”  
“He would never call you father, John Redcorn.”  
“Then so be it, but I think he ought to get the chance to know his real father. So I was thinking that maybe every other week he could stay with me?” He grinned.  
“I think that should be up to Joseph to decide,” Dale said simply.  
“Okay. Let’s run this by him then.”  
“JOSEPH!” Dale called. “Get your ass down here!”  
“What a way with words you have with my son,” John Redcorn said through gritted teeth.  
“Aw, he’s used to it.”  
Joseph appeared in the kitchen. “Yes, Dad?”  
“Tell him, John Redcorn,” Dale leaned back and smirked.  
John Redcorn ran through what he had just explained to Dale. “So what do you think, Joseph? Want to spend some time with your dad?”  
“I spend time with my dad every day, Mr. Redcorn,” Joseph glared at John Redcorn.  
“I mean your real dad…”  
“Dale Gribble is my dad. He’s the only dad I ever had, and the only dad I ever will have. Just because you made me, doesn’t mean you’re the one that raised me, the one that’s loved me…”  
“Hold it, Joseph,” John Redcorn said. “Don’t say I haven’t loved you. I may have not raised you, but I have always loved you, Joseph. And I want to get to know you, because you’re my son.”   
“Well I think that should be up to me, and Dale is my father and I don’t want to live with you.”  
“Is that your final answer?” John Redcorn said through gritted teeth.  
“Yes. It is,” Joseph said firmly.  
“Well…do you think we could come to some sort of agreement? Maybe I could come and visit you sometimes?”  
“No,” Joseph said. “I don’t want you near my mom, either. Ever again. I want you to stay away from us, Mr. Redcorn.”  
John Redcorn stood up and said, “Well, if that’s the way you want it, that’s the way you’ll get it. Tell your mother goodbye for me.”  
“I’ll be sure to kiss her ass for you, too while I’m at it!” he shouted.  
John Redcorn glared at Joseph and then stormed out, slamming the door behind him.  
“Um…sorry for my language, Dad…” Joseph said sheepishly.  
“Language? That was brilliant, son! I’m proud of you! Let’s go tell your mother!” He jumped up, took Joseph’s hand and started walking at a quick pace to find Nancy. 

They found Nancy in the living room on the couch. “Where’s the fire, Dale?” Nancy asked.  
“The fire is right here! Our son is on fire! He’s brilliant! It was amazing! He just told John Redcorn off!”  
Nancy looked at Joseph.  
“Yeah, Mom,” Joseph said. “I told him I didn’t want to live with him ever and I didn’t want him around here near you or any of us ever again.”  
“Oh my god,” Nancy gasped.  
“Yep. He got real mad…” Joseph laughed.  
“I’ll imagine he did…” Nancy sighed. “I guess it’s for the best…”  
“Well of course it is, Nancy,” Dale said. “He can’t just come in here and barge in on our family wanting his son back…”  
“He just wanted to see him, Dale…”  
Dale ignored her. “He’s a home wrecker, Nancy. That’s what he is…Sent from outer space.”  
“No. He’s just a father that wants to see his son. Is that too much for him to ask?” she was about to cry.  
“Um…Yes,” Dale said and this made Nancy burst into tears.  
“Mom,” Joseph said. “Shouldn’t it be my choice if I want to get to know some father I’ve never known?”  
Nancy sniffed. “Yes…You’re right, Joseph. And I’m sorry…I guess it’s just the whole pregnancy thing…I forgot how emotional it can make you…”

But it really was going to take her a while to get over the whole John Redcorn thing. But she knew deep down that she needed to put that past her and look at her life now. She was happily married to a wonderful man, had an amazing son, and was about to have another baby as well. She had a lot to be thankful for…She had to learn to let go and move on.


	7. Chapter 7

When Nancy had come home the day that she found out what sex the baby was, Dale’s reaction was not what Nancy had wanted to hear…  
“Shug! Come quick!”  
Dale rushed into the kitchen where Nancy was standing, screaming, “What?! Are you going into labor already?”  
“No, shug. I just got back from the doctors…”  
“Oh…” He looked relieved. “Well, what’d you find out?”  
“We’re having a little girl!” she smiled brightly.  
Dale paused for a moment and then said, “Oh,” and looked down.  
“What, shug? What’s wrong with a girl? We already have one boy.”  
“But it’s not my boy…”  
“Dale, we’ve already been through this. Joseph has always been your son.”  
“I know, Nancy, but it’s not the same…I was looking forward to teaching him how to shoot a gun and play football and kill roaches and play paintball and…stuff…”he trailed off.   
“Oh, but shug, you’ve done all that with Joseph.”   
“But it’s not the same…not after…you know…”  
“Oh Dale…” she put a hand on his arm.   
“Don’t get all mushy with me. I’ll be fine…” he then looked up and tried to smile. “A girl will be fine. It will be something different.”  
“I’m glad you see it that way, shug!” she gave him a big hug.

***

February…  
Dale and Nancy were sitting in bed one evening.  
“Nancy,” Dale said.  
“Yes, shug?”  
“You’re fat,” he laughed.  
“Hey!”  
“I’m just kidding, honey. I know there’s a baby in there…A baby girl…Little Natalie Nichole Gribble…” he put his hand on her stomach awkwardly. “Yep…This is going to be interesting…”  
“Oh Dale…I know you’re still a bit upset…”  
“I’ll love the kid no matter what…just like I love you…except not as much,” he smiled and put his arm around her and she snuggled close.  
“Oh, shug…”  
“Could you do me a favor?”  
“Yeah, sure…What?”  
“Find another term to call me…You call everyone shug…You call the man at the supermarket shug. It makes me feel like I’m just normal. I’m not normal. I’m Dale Gribble.”  
“Okay…Well, what do you want to be called?”  
“I don’t know…How about sexy beast? Heh heh…”  
“Ugh,” she gave him a disgusted look.  
“Oh, what? So I’m not sexy now? Oh, I feel special,” he said sarcastically.   
Nancy ignored this and said, “Um…how about sweetheart? Or…Darling? Love?”  
“Whatever you feel like calling me. Look deep down, Nancy. What do you want to call me?”  
“Um…” She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them and said, “Shug.”  
“Oh well,” Dale sighed. “That’ll have to do.”  
“Oh shug. I’m sorry. I’ve called you that for years. It’s hard to change what I call someone. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you.” She smiled and then gave him a big kiss. “Because I do love you. Very much, Dale.”  
“I love you too, Nancy,” he smiled in return.

***

John Redcorn had not shown his face at the Gribble house until one day. Nancy went to answer it and gasped when she opened it.   
“John Redcorn!” she exclaimed with wide eyes. “What are you doing here?”  
“Just dropping by…” Then he cut to the chase. “How do you know that baby isn’t mine?”  
“Because I just know. It’s Dale’s.”  
“Well I think it’s mine!”  
“Well I think you need to suck it!” came a voice and a punch was thrown at John Redcorn right in the face. It was Joseph.   
Nancy gasped. “JOSEPH!” she exclaimed.  
“I thought I told you stay away from here?!” Joseph bellowed.  
“I have every right to go where I want to go, Joseph,” John Redcorn told him.  
“I thought I told you to stay away from here?!” Joseph he repeated.   
John Redcorn looked over at Nancy nervously. She just stared at him. “Are you not going to do anything about your son?”  
“I think it should be up to him whether he wants to see you or not. If that is how he feels, then maybe you should go,” Nancy’s voice shook.  
“If that’s how you feel, Nancy.”  
“It’s how Joseph feels,” she said simply.  
“Yeah, asshole!” Joseph shouted.  
“Joseph!” Nancy exclaimed. “Watch your language!”  
“Sorry, Mom. But it’s just how I feel.”  
John Redcorn sighed. “Fine. I don’t understand why you are treating me this way, Joseph. I am your father. I did nothing to you except help you come onto this earth. And this is the thanks I get?”  
“Shug…” Nancy started.  
“No, Nancy. I’m talking to Joseph. Listen to me, son. I did nothing to you. Yes, I took part in the cheating on your dad. But if your mother hadn’t have had that affair, you wouldn’t be here. Everything happens for a reason, Joseph. I love your mother, like I love you. I wish I could’ve been the one to bring you up, but under the circumstances, it could not be so. I wish you would think this over and have us at least on speaking terms. I would deeply appreciate it, son.”  
“If you’ll stop calling me your son, then I’ll think about it.”  
“You have a deal, Joseph,” he held out his hand and Joseph hesitated, but took it and shook hands with John Redcorn.  
Nancy let out a sigh. “Okay. Good. You’re friends.”  
Although Joseph was shaking John Redcorn’s hand, he was still giving him an awful stare.  
“Well, it’s a start,” Nancy said.  
“Okay, well I’m going to my room,” Joseph left.  
“You should probably go, John Redcorn…” Nancy said quietly.  
“Alright, Nancy. When can I come by again? You know, to see Joseph?”  
“I don’t know, John Redcorn. Take this one step at a time, shug. Bye John Redcorn…”  
“I could come in and help with something. You know…help you prepare for when the baby comes…”  
“No. That’s Dale’s job, shug.” She went back inside, shutting the door behind her.

***

When Dale got home from work that day, he said, “Hi Nancy,” and kissed her on the forehead.  
“Hey shug.”  
“Is Joseph at Bobby’s?”  
“No, he’s in his room.”  
“Why? That boy’s always out and about.”  
“Do you want him to be out?” she laughed.  
“No…Is something wrong with him? Should I go talk to him?”  
“No shug,” she said quickly, causing him to give her a bewildered look. “I’ll go talk to him. You just um…go take a shower.”  
She left him standing there confused. He raised his arm and sniffed. “Do I stink?” he thought.

Nancy knocked on Joseph’s door and said, “Joseph…”  
“Yeah?”  
“Can I come in, shug?”  
“Sure,” he shrugged and she let herself in. She walked over awkwardly and sat beside her son.  
“Are you alright?” she asked after a moment.  
“I guess…”  
“Do you want to talk about it?”  
“No.”  
“Well alright, shug…” she patted his leg and started to get up.  
But Joseph said, “He can’t just come and expect me to jump into his arms, call him father and move in with him.”  
“Oh shug. He doesn’t expect…”  
“Yes he does, Mom.”  
“He just wants to know you, Joseph. He’s your father. He has been so close but so far away from you all your life.”  
“Maybe it was meant to be that way.”  
“Oh, shug, don’t’ thank that…He just wants to know you…”  
“Would you stop saying that, Mom?”  
“I’m saying it because it’s true.”  
“What would you know about telling the truth?” That stung Nancy hard in the heart. Her eyes slid to the side. “The truth is like sunlight, people used to think it was good for you, remember?”  
“Where did you hear that from?” she said darkly.  
“You. I heard it from you, Mom. That was apparently your motto all those years. Heck, it might still be.”  
“Where’s all this coming from? Why are you turning this around on me?”  
“Because you’re the culprit. If you weren’t such a lackadaisical, self-indulgent slut, then none of this would’ve ever happened. You would’ve always been happily married to Dad, John Redcorn would just be a neighbor, and I wouldn’t be here!”  
That had blown Nancy away. “Where’d you even hear those words, shug? I don’t even know what lacka-whatever you said means,” she chuckled.  
“It means you don’t care, Mom! God!...Oh, you’re blonde,” he scoffed. He sighed, rolled his eyes and said, “I learned it from Bobby, who learned it from Connie.”  
Nancy was silent, then she said, “So this is how you see your mother? Well I guess I deserve it…” Tears came to her eyes and she started bawling her eyes out.  
Dale stuck his head inside and said, “What’s going on? Why are you crying, Nancy?” he ran over to her.  
“It’s nothing,” she waved a hand at him.  
He looked at Joseph, who quickly looked away.  
“Joseph…” he said, eyes narrowed. “What’d you say to her?”  
“Nothing she doesn’t already know,” he said coldly.  
“Joseph!” Dale shook his head. “Teenage years are not treating you well…Come on,” he grabbed his hand and pulled him into his and Nancy’s bedroom. “What’s up, son?”  
“John Redcorn came over and wanted to get to know me better or something.”  
“I thought we got rid of him!”  
“He’s after Mom and you know it.”  
“You’re right, Joseph. Let’s kill him. But first, why is your mother crying?”  
“Well…I was getting carried away with my anger and I kind of called her a lackadaisical, self-indulgent slut…” he trailed off.  
“Joseph John Gribble! Go apologize to your mother! What she did in the past is done.”  
“The past being just months ago?” he said right before leaving.  
“What?”  
“You heard me.”

Joseph went to apologize to his mother and she said it was okay. She blamed her emotions on hormones.

Dale was sitting on the edge of their bed thinking. Could Joseph be telling the truth? He thought back to something Boomhauer had said, Long ago my dang foot. She’s been with dang ol’ Redcorn for 14 years…yup.   
“Oh my God!” Dale exclaimed.  
“Are you alright, shug?” Nancy called.  
“Yeah!” Dale lied. He got up angrily and started packing a small bag. He called Hank.

“Hi Peggy, is Hank there?”  
“Yeah. Hold on.” Hank then answered shortly, “Hello?”  
“Hank. I’m coming over to stay a while. No questions. Bye.” He hung up confusing Hank. He started to the door when Nancy called, “Where are you going, Dale?”  
“Hank’s!” he called back bitterly.  
She noticed the bag. “For the night?”  
“For until I feel like coming back.”  
“Dale? What’s going on?” She rushed to him, but he kept walking. “Dale?” she repeated. After Dale slammed the door behind him, she turned immediately to Joseph. “What’d you do?”  
“I…uh…might’ve…sort of…told him you continued the affair for 14 years.”  
Nancy’s eyes got huge. “You WHAT?”  
“I’m sorry,” he said weakly.  
“The truth does NOT set you free, DAMN IT!” she stomped her foot. “It only screws things up worse than they were to begin with!” She started feeling lightheaded and went into her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. “Things were going just fine, Joseph. Things were going great. Until you went screwy on us.”  
“It’s not my fault. It’s John Redcorn’s.”  
“It is not John Redcorn’s fault. All John Redcorn wants to do is see his son. All Dale wants to do is…whatever it is Dale wants to do. And all I want to do is set my life straight…And you’re not helping,” she added quietly.  
“Oh…” Joseph groaned. “This isn’t what I wanted at all…” he put his head in his hands as he sat beside his mother.  
“What did you want, Joseph?”  
“For our family to be normal again.”  
“Our family was never normal, Joseph. It was full of lies and dysfunctional love.”  
“Well I wish you never would’ve told me…”  
“The truth had to come out sometime.”  
“…I wish we were all one happy family, like I used to think we were.”  
“Life isn’t a fairytale. Even the Tanner family had problems.”  
“I wish we were like the Hills.” Nancy snorted. “Or the Souphanousinphones.” She snorted even harder.  
“Even they have problems, Joseph. No one’s perfect…but now our family has a split in it…”  
“And it’s all my fault…” Joseph sighed.  
“Not entirely, shug…Not entirely…”

At the Hills…  
“Dale! What are you doing?!” Hank exclaimed. “You can’t just stay here!”  
“I told you ahead of time!” he insisted.  
Peggy walked in from the kitchen. “What’s going on, Dale?”  
“I’ve come to stay at your house for a few days…or more.”  
“Why?” she put her hands on her hips. “Is everything okay with you and Nancy?”  
“No, not really. Not that it’s any of your business,” he added. “Now, what room will I be staying in?”  
“In here, on the couch.”  
“Oh…” Dale looked down.  
“Did you expect us to give up our room or kick Bobby out of his?” Hank asked.  
“Yes…”  
“This isn’t a hotel, Dale. This is our home and you’re invading our personal space. I’ll go get you some sheets…” After Hank left, Peggy stayed and said, “Sit down, Dale.”  
“What? Am I a dog?”  
“The dog doesn’t get to sit on the couch,” she said simply. Dale sat; she sat beside him, and continued. “Now, what’s wrong with you and Nancy?”  
“Why should I tell you?”   
“Because I’m letting you stay in my house and if you won’t talk, your ass will be out the door, mister!”  
“Alright! Alright…I found out that she’d been cheating for 14 years…I mean, I knew she cheated at one time, but I didn’t know it went on…”  
“Oh dear…You poor thing! How’d you find out?”  
“Joseph…He’s going through one of those weird teenage phases and he’s already went off on Nancy and made her cry…”  
“Well I’m sure he didn’t mean it…But she was crying and you leave her to cry more?”  
“Um…”  
“I’m going to see Nancy.”  
“Oh, sure! Side with her!”  
Hank walks in, says, “What are you shouting about?” and throws a pillow and blanket at Dale, knocking him over and his sun glasses off his face.  
“Hey! What was that for?!” He put his shades back on.  
“You’re being intrusive, Dale! You should be at home with Nancy! She’s having a baby in a month, isn’t she?”  
This made Dale think for a moment. He got quiet, but only for a moment. “She lied to me for 14 years. For all I know, she might not really be pregnant. She might just be fat.”  
“Good God, Dale. Of course she’s pregnant! She loves you. She’s trying to turn her life around and you’re not helping.”

 

Over at the Gribble house…  
Nancy and Peggy were sitting at the kitchen table. “I just don’t understand it, Peggy…Everything was fine. Then John Redcorn shows up, Joseph lashes out on me, and Dale leaves. What’s happening to me?”  
“I don’t know, Nancy, but things will get better.”  
“I hope so, shug. I feel like everyone’s turned against me…”  
“I’m here for you.” She put her hand on Nancy’s.  
“Thanks, shug…” she smiled. “You don’t know how grateful I am. I don’t deserve friends…”  
“Everyone deserves a friend.”  
“Even a lackadaisical, self-indulgent slut?”  
Peggy nodded, but then quickly shook her head. “Who told you that?”  
“Joseph…” she looked down.

***

That night, when Nancy got into bed, it didn’t really feel too weird at first, because she’d been used to Dale not coming to bed until after she fell asleep on some nights. But when she woke up the next morning, it felt a little strange, because she almost always woke up to see him beside her. She tried not to let it bother her though. She just told herself that he would be back someday, took a deep breath, and pushed herself out of bed. She made breakfast and her and Joseph sat down together to eat it.  
After a silence, Joseph said, “Well, this feels weird with Dad not here…”  
Nancy threw down her fork and left the room.  
“What, Mom? I just…Oh never mind…” he sighed.   
Nancy walked into the living room, picked up a picture of Dale, and sat down staring at it with teary eyes. “What if he never comes back? I would deserve it, I know, because I treated him wrongly…but I love him too much…and I hope he loves me the same…I hope he can forgive me for what I did…I want him to come back home…” Then the other part of her conscience kicked in. “Oh what am I crying about? He hasn’t even been gone a day yet and I’m going to be a basket case already? No. I’m going to just go on with my life like nothing’s wrong…Or try to anyway…” She stood up, put the picture back in its place, and went to get ready for work. 

The hours had turned into days that Dale was gone. At first Hank didn’t really mind him staying over. They sat around and watched TV together, drinking their beer. Although Bill noticed that Dale was staying over and got jealous. He came by once and said, “I thought I was your best friend, Hank? But I see you’ve found a new one…Inviting Dale to stay at your house and whatnot…”  
“I did not invite Dale. He invited himself.”  
“Oh,” his face brightened. “So can I come, too?”  
“No!” Hank said firmly.  
“I see how it is…” he slumped off. “I’ll just go over to Boomhauer’s…”  
“Good luck trying to get through the door, what with all his women at his doorstep!” Dale called, jokingly.   
“Well I’ll just pick me up one of those women, then!” Bill called back hotly.   
“Oh God…” Hank said.  
“Haha…” Dale laughed and Hank shot him a look.   
“What?” he said innocently.  
“Dale, when are you going to leave?” Hank asked, irritably.  
“I don’t know…Give me a few more days…”  
Hank sighed.  
“Aren’t you enjoying the fun times together, Hank?”  
“Dale…All you’ve been doing is sitting around, cracking dull jokes, and most of all ranting about Nancy.”  
“I have not been ranting about Nancy! Puh!” he turned his head.  
“Dale, it’s all you’ve been talking about, whether you realize it or not…I think it’s about time you go back home to her. I’m sure she misses you.”  
“Oh I’m sure she misses me…She’s probably home with John Redcorn right now!”  
“Dale! She’s done with that! Can’t you see? She’s been trying to set things right lately!”  
“Well…all the same…Give me a few more days.”  
“Okay…but if I hear one more thing about Nancy’s can then you’re going to be in for it!”

***

Days turned into weeks and soon it had been nearly a month that Dale had been gone. Nancy was about to have a breakdown honestly. She had been talking about Dale so much that Joseph had finally just left and went to hang out with Bobby.  
“Hey Joseph!” Dale said when he walked through the Hills’ house.   
“Hi Dad…” he said awkwardly.  
“Um…how’s your mother?”  
He decided to approach this in a certain way. “She’s doing great! Never been better!”  
“Really?” he looked disappointed.   
“Yeah!” Joseph felt like he’d accomplished something. “How have you been, Dad?”  
“A lot better now that I’m away from her! The dirty rotten lying two timing cheater! I think you were right when you called her a slut, son.”  
“I wouldn’t take it that far…”

***

That night, Nancy woke up at around 3 AM, expecting to see Dale beside her, but his side of the bed was empty. She took a deep breath, but as she breathed out her breaths were staggered, for she had started to cry. She just started bawling right there at 3 in the morning. She looked down at her full round belly and cried even harder. She could have that baby any time now. And where was the father? And would the father ever be there? Nancy started freaking out and cried herself back to sleep.  
Joseph had heard her crying, but just let her cry. He knew there was nothing that he could do to help her. Only Dad could help her by coming back. He wished he would come back soon, though, because he missed him as well…

Dale was tossing and turning on the couch, having a nightmare. He dreamt he was losing Nancy and he woke up when he fell off the couch and hit the floor. He opened his eyes, hoping to see Nancy, but all he saw were the legs of the Hills’ coffee table. He sighed. He knew he should go back, but he just couldn’t. Not after what she did…And what she kept from him…

***

That afternoon, Joseph was in his room, when he heard his mother yell, “JOSEPH!!!”  
“Yeah, Mom?”  
“GO GET YOUR FATHER NOW!”  
“Why? Do you miss him?” he chuckled, coming into the kitchen where his mother was.  
“No time for jokes, my water just broke! Now go get your father!”  
“Oh…” He ran next door as fast as he could. He didn’t bother knocking; he just ran inside.  
“Dad!” he exclaimed.   
“Hey, Joseph. Where’s the fire, son?”  
“Mom’s going into labor!” he shouted.  
“Damn it…” he muttered. “I guess she expects me to come help her, huh?”  
Joseph’s eyes widened. “Of course she does, Dad! What has gotten into you?!”  
“I’m going! I’m going!” he assured Joseph, got up and ran over to his house.  
Hank walked in the living room and saw Joseph standing there. “Hey there, Joseph. Has your dad finally went back home now?” he asked hopefully.  
“Yeah, ‘cause Mom’s going in to labor!”  
“Oh God…Peggy!” he exclaimed.  
“Yes, Hank?” she peeked around the corner from the kitchen.  
“Nancy’s about to have her baby.”  
“Oh my God! We’ve got to get to the hospital. Bobby!!”  
“Yeah?” he came from his room.  
“We’re going over to the hospital. Joseph’s mother is having her baby. You two be good, okay?”  
“I’m going too!” Joseph exclaimed.   
“Whatever. We’ll all go, but let’s hurry!”

***

Everyone was in the waiting room (the Hills, the Souphanousinphones, and the Gribbles, minus Nancy). Dale couldn’t get himself to go in there with his wife. It was too awkward at the moment.   
“Dad?” Joseph said.  
“Yeah, son?”  
“Are you and Mom going to be okay?” Dale was silent. “Dad?” he repeated. But Dale was completely spaced out.  
“Dale?” Hank said. “Snap out of it, Dale!” he snapped his fingers in front of his friend’s face.  
“Sorry,” he said. “What was the question?”  
“I asked if you and Mom are going to be okay,” Joseph said.  
“Oh…To tell you the truth, Joseph, I don’t know…” he answered, not looking at his son.  
Everything got really quiet then until they heard a baby cry distantly.   
Peggy and Minh were the first to immediately stand up. “Oh!” Peggy clasped her hands together. “I do believe Nancy’s had her baby!”  
“Congratulations, Dale,” Hank said. “You are now a father.”  
“For the first time,” Dale said with difficulty.  
“Well…yeah…but…”  
Luckily, a nurse came out to speak to them, so Hank didn’t have to go on with that statement.   
“The mother and baby are now ready for visitors.”  
Peggy and Minh were the first to start running quickly towards Nancy’s room, but Hank stopped them. “Peggy, don’t you think Dale ought to be the first to go in?”  
“Oh, that’s okay Hank,” Dale said. “You all go in and see the baby…”  
“No, Dale. You need to go in and see your baby. And talk to your wife…”  
Dale sighed and slumped off to his wife’s hospital room.

Dale walked quietly and slowly into the room. Nancy looked up. “Hi, Nancy…” he said shyly, not quite looking at her.  
“Hey, shug…” she smiled a little. There was an awkward silence, and then she motioned toward the baby. “This is your little girl, Natalie Nichole…”  
Dale came over and looked down at her. “Awe…” he said. “Can I hold her?”  
“Of course.” She handed over the baby to him. He held the baby and stared at it in awe.   
“Hey Natalie…” he said awkwardly. “I’m your daddy…” he smiled.   
After a moment, Nancy said hesitantly, “Dale…I just want to apolo—”  
“No,” he held his hand up, cutting her off. “I’m the one that needs to apologize. Peggy and Hank have kept on telling me how you’ve been trying your hardest to turn your life around lately and stuff and I’ve just been shooting that down, unknowingly…”  
“It’s not your fault, shug…I deserve to go straight to hell for all I did…”  
“No you don’t, Nancy. You are an angel and angels don’t go to hell.”  
She smiled a tiny smile. “You’re sweet.” Dale handed Natalie back to Nancy and then sat beside her on the bed.  
“Would you mind if I came back home?” he asked.  
“Mind? I would appreciate it very much. We have a baby to take care of now, shug! I’m going to need help! And plus…” she smiled shyly, “I’ve missed you like hell.”  
“Want to know a secret?”  
“Sure.”  
“I’ve missed you even more.”  
“Oh, Dale…” she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Oh, don’t you think we ought to let the Hills and Souphanousinphones in now?”  
“Oh…Right,” he chuckled. “I’ll go tell them that they can come in.” He walked over to the door and opened it to find Peggy and Minh had had their ears up to the door. They didn’t wait for him to speak; they just ran on in.   
“Oh my God!” Peggy exclaimed. “She’s so adorable! What’s her name again?”  
“Natalie Nichole,” Nancy grinned.  
“Cute baby!” Minh awed.   
Hank and Kahn came in dragging behind the women awkwardly.   
Hank looked at Dale and said, “Did you uh…get things worked out?”  
“I think so, Hank,” Dale responded.  
The two men went to go see the baby and then the children came after them. Joseph was the most interested obviously, being as the baby was his little sister. “Hi, Natalie…” he said. “I’m your big brother…Or half brother or something…” he scratched his head.  
“Just brother,” Nancy said. “We’re not adding that half business in there. We are one happy family,” she smiled at her son.  
He smiled back, but then said awkwardly, “Oh and Mom…”   
“Yes, shug?”  
“I want to say sorry again for the other day…I was really rude to you…And Dad as well.”  
“Well your father needed to know what you informed him. I would’ve never had the guts to tell him, so I’m glad you told him. And as for you calling me names, I deserved it. It’s alright, shug.” She motioned for him to come over closer to him and she kissed him on the forehead. “We are now one big happy family. No secrets…”  
The Hills and Souphanousinphones smiled. Then Peggy said, “I think we ought to go. We can see the baby more later. They live next door. Let’s leave this happy little family in peace,” she winked at Nancy.   
After the visitors had left, and it was just the Gribble family in the room, Dale said, “Joseph, leave your mother and I alone for a few minutes, would you?”  
“Okay, Dad…Where should I go, though?” he looked around confused.  
“Go get a candy bar or something out of one of those machines,” he shrugged.  
When Joseph left, Nancy looked at him confused. “What’s up, shug?”  
“Well, you know how you said we have no secrets, now?”  
“Yes…”  
“Well, I have a little secret…”  
“Oh? You do?” she was surprised. She thought the worst though. Her heart started racing. What if he too had had a love affair at one point?  
“Yes…The other night…”  
He had an affair the other night? What??   
“I had a dream about you.”  
Oh, phew…  
“It was a nightmare, actually…I had a dream I was losing you. It was the worst possible dream I could have. I was so scared. I was tossing and turning and literally fell off the Hills’ couch. When I opened my eyes, I hoped to see you, but you weren’t there.”  
“Oh, shug…” she pitied, touching his arm.  
“I’m just so glad everything’s going to be okay now. I don’t think I could’ve spent another minute away from you…” he admitted.  
“Awe…” her lip trembled. “Me either, shug…You know, I kept having these fears that you weren’t coming back…” she looked down. “It got really depressing actually. It was so lonely without you around…Every time I woke in the middle of the night and you weren’t there, it upset me so much that I cried myself back to sleep.”  
“Well I’m here now…And I’m not going anywhere ever again,” he put his arm around her.   
There was a knock at the door. “Can I come back in?” It was Joseph.  
“Come on in, son!” Dale called and Joseph let himself back in.  
“Mom…” he walked over to the bed. “I’ve been thinking…How we’re talking like everything’s okay now and we’re this happy family…We’ve forgotten John Redcorn.”  
“Now Joseph…” Dale said. “We’re just going to have to face facts. John Redcorn is your father. As much as I hate it, it’s true. We’ll just have to live with it. And yes, he’s going to want to see you, because you’re his son.”  
“Oh, Dale!” Nancy gushed. “I’m glad you see it that way…”  
“Yeah, we’re just going to have to live life like it is and let the chips fall where they may…”  
“I’m not going to have to ever move in with John Redcorn am I?” Joseph asked.  
“No, son. Not if I can help it!” Dale said.  
“Shug, we’ll never force you to live with him,” Nancy assured her son. “And neither will John Redcorn. No one’s going to make you do anything you don’t want to do. Yes, you’ll probably have to talk to him sometimes, but he’s only human. Talk to the man and get to know him a little. You might find he’s a really great guy.”  
Dale looked at Nancy funny. “We don’t have to take it that far…” he said.  
“Like you said, shug, let the chips fall where they may,” she smiled. “We’ve got a wonderful adventure ahead of us right here,” she nodded toward her baby. “And who knows what other kinds of adventures we’ll come upon. Life is an adventure and I wouldn’t want to experience it with anyone else but my wonderful husband, terrific son, and sure to be amazing daughter.”   
Dale and Joseph smiled at Nancy.  
“Do you still think the truth is like sunlight, Mom?” Joseph joked.  
“No…The truth is like an apology. No one wants to come out with it, but in the end, it’s worth it.”  
“Um…” Joseph started. “While we’re on this subject…I used one of your condoms the other day.”  
Dale and Nancy snap their heads toward Joseph in shock.  
“Just kidding!” Joseph threw his arms up in the air. “Heh heh…”  
Nancy still had her eyes narrowed at her son. “I’ll question that later,” she told him, “but right now, let’s just forget all our cares and just enjoy this little bundle of joy,” she smiled down at her newborn.


End file.
